8. (Wool Manuf.) A bundle or ball of slivers of comkbed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been
taken out.
9. Eve; verge; point. [R.] "He was upon the top of his marriage with Magdaleine." Knolles.
10. The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface.
Knight.
11. pl. Top-boots. [Slang] Dickens.
Top is often used adjectively or as the first part of compound words, usually self-explaining; as, top stone,
or topstone; top-boots, or top boots; top soil, or top-soil.
Top and but (Shipbuilding), a phrase used to denote a method of working long tapering planks by
bringing the but of one plank to the top of the other to make up a constant breadth in two layers. —
Top minnow (Zoöl.), a small viviparous fresh-water fish (Gambusia patruelis) abundant in the Southern
United States. Also applied to other similar species.
Top
(Top), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Topped ; p. pr. & vb. n. Topping.]
1. To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains. Derham.
2. To predominate; as, topping passions. "Influenced by topping uneasiness." Locke.
3. To excel; to rise above others.
But write thy, and top.
Dryden. Top
(Top), v. t.
1. To cover on the top; to tip; to cap; — chiefly used in the past participle.
Like moving mountains topped with snow.
Waller.
A mount
Of alabaster, topped with golden spires.
Milton. 2. To rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass.
Topping all others in boasting.
Shak.
Edmund the base shall top the legitimate.
Shak. 3. To rise to the top of; to go over the top of.
But wind about till thou hast topped the hill.
Denham. 4. To take off the or upper part of; to crop.
Top your rose trees a little with your knife.
Evelyn. 5. To perform eminently, or better than before.
From endeavoring universally to top their parts, they will go universally beyond them.
Jeffrey. 6. (Naut.) To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.
