top
[noun]
Synonyms:
- peak, apex, crest, crown, culmination, head, height, pinnacle, summit, zenith
- first place, head, lead
- lid, cap, cover, stopper
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- leading, best, chief, elite, finest, first, foremost, head, highest, pre-eminent, principal, uppermost
[verb]
Synonyms:
- cover, cap, crown, finish, garnish
- lead, be first, head
- surpass, beat, better, eclipse, exceed, excel, outstrip, transcend

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Antonyms: bottom
Contrasted words: base, foot, sole, nadir, bottommost, lowest
Related Words: acme, climax, culmination, height, pinnacle, cusp, head, point, tip, clip, dock, prune, trim, curtail, shorten

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English Thesaurus: senior, chief, high-ranking, top, junior, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. top¹ S1 W2 /tɒp $ tɑːp/ noun [countable]
[Word Family: adjective: top, topless, topmost; noun: top, topping; verb: top; adverb: tops]
[Sense 1-25: Language: Old English; Origin: topp]
[Sense 26-27: Date: 1000-1100; Origin: Origin unknown]

1. HIGHEST PART the highest part of something Antonym : bottom
top of
The tops of the mountains were still covered with snow.
She could only just see over the tops of their heads.
at the top (of) something
He was standing at the top of the stairs.
We’ll sit down once we’re at the top.
Write your name at the top of the page.
to the top (of) something
Stop and wait for us when you get to the top of the slope.
I filled the glass right to the top.
The book I wanted was at the very top of the pile.
cliff top/mountaintop/hilltop/treetop
We could just see the white cliff tops in the distance.

2. UPPER SURFACE the flat upper surface of an object:
a low wooden table with a glass top
top of
We walked along the top of the ancient city walls.
on (the) top of something
She put the papers down on the top of the piano.
Her fingers drummed on the table top.

3. BEST POSITION the top the best, most successful, or most important position in an organization, company, or profession Antonym : bottom
the top of
He has reached the top of his profession.
at the top (of something)
It’s the people at the top who make the decisions.
to the top (of something)
All young footballers dream of making it to the top.
the groups that are currently at the top of the tree (=the highest position in a profession) in the pop world

4. COVER something that you put on or over an object to cover it, protect it, or prevent liquid coming out of it:
I can’t get the top off the jar.
You’ve left the top off the toothpaste again!
Can you put the top back on the bottle when you’ve finished with it?
bottle top/pen top etc
Has anyone seen my pen top?

5. CLOTHES a piece of clothing that you wear on the upper part of your body:
She was wearing a stripy knitted top.
a skirt with a matching top
a bikini top
I can’t find my pyjama top.

6. be (at the) top of the list/agenda something that is at the top of a list will be dealt with or discussed first:
Europe is once again at the top of the political agenda.

7. on top
a) on the highest part or surface of something:
The cake was a bit burnt on top.
a high roof with a chimney on top
b) on the highest part of your head:
Can you cut it quite short on top, please.
c) winning in a game or competition:
After the first set, the Australian was comfortably on top.

8. on top of something
a) on the highest surface of something:
There should be an envelope on top of the fridge.
b) in complete control of a situation:
Don’t worry; I’m back on top of things now.
I should be more on top of my work next week.
c) if something bad happens to you on top of something else, it happens when you have other problems:
On top of everything else, I now have to go to work next Saturday!

9. one on top of the other (also on top of one another) in a pile:
We stacked the crates one on top of the other.

10. on top of somebody if something dangerous or threatening is on top of you, it is very near you:
The truck was almost on top of us.

11. get on top of somebody if your work or a problem gets on top of you, it begins to make you feel unhappy and upset:
Things are starting to get on top of him.

12. come out on top to win a difficult struggle or argument, especially one that has continued for a long time:
It’s difficult to predict who will come out on top.

13. on top of the world informal extremely happy:
When I heard she’d been released I felt on top of the world!

14. PLANT the part of a fruit or vegetable where it was attached to the plant, or the leaves of a plant whose root you can eat:
Cut the tops off the tomatoes.
I’ve found a recipe for beetroot tops.

15. STREET/FIELD ETC the part of the street or of a piece of land that is the furthest away from you:
I waited at the top of East Street.

16. the top of the milk British English the cream that rises to the top of a bottle of milk

17. the top of the table the part of a long dinner table where the most important people sit

18. off the top of your head informal if you say something off the top of your head, you say it immediately, without thinking carefully about it or checking the facts:
Just off the top of my head, I’d say there were about 50.

19. sing/shout at the top of your voice to sing or shout as loudly as you can:
Angela ran out of the house, shouting at the top of her voice.

20. be at the top of your game (also be on top of your game) to be doing your job, especially playing a sport, very well

21. from the top spoken an expression meaning from the beginning, used especially in the theatre:
Right, let’s take it from the top once more.

22. from top to bottom if you clean or search somewhere from top to bottom, you do it very thoroughly:
The whole house needs cleaning from top to bottom.

23. from top to toe if a person is dressed or covered in something from top to toe, they are completely dressed or covered in it:
They were covered in mud from top to toe.

24. the top and bottom of it British English spoken the general result or meaning of a situation, expressed in a few words:
He’s trying to embarrass you, that’s the top and bottom of it.

25. not have much up top British English spoken to be not very intelligent:
Poor Nigel, he doesn’t have very much up top.

26. tops spoken used after a number to say that it is the highest possible amount of money you will get:
It’ll cost you £200, £250 tops.

27. TOY a child’s toy that spins around on its point when you twist it

28. spin like a top to spin or turn round very quickly:
The impact of the blow sent me spinning like a top.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. top² S1 W1 adjective
[Word Family: adjective: top, topless, topmost; noun: top, topping; verb: top; adverb: tops]

1. HIGHEST [only before noun] nearest to the top of something Antonym : bottom:
We have a flat on the top floor of the building.
the top button of his shirt
I managed to scrape off the top layer of paint.
I found the letter in the top drawer of his desk.

2. BEST [usually before noun] best or most successful:
our top tennis players
a top New York salon
one of the world’s top engineering companies
people in top jobs
She got top marks.
The top score was 72.

3. WINNING winning in a game or competition
top of
Barcelona remain top of the league after beating Real Madrid.
Despite losing last night, Manchester United are still top (=the highest in a list of clubs in a competition).

4. top left/right/centre expressions meaning the picture at the top of a page on the left or right or in the centre, used in magazines and newspapers:
Top right: silk blouse £195 from Harrods.

5. top speed the fastest speed a vehicle can move at:
We tore down the motorway at top speed.
a sports car with a top speed of 140 miles per hour

6. top priority the thing that you think is most important:
Education is this government’s top priority.

7. GOOD British English spoken informal very good:
Clive’s a top bloke.

8. top copy British English a letter or document from which copies can be made

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. top³ verb (past tense and past participle topped, present participle topping) [transitive]
[Word Family: adjective: top, topless, topmost; noun: top, topping; verb: top; adverb: tops]

1. BE HIGHER to be higher than a particular amount:
Their profits have reportedly topped £1,000,000 this year.

2. BE MOST SUCCESSFUL to be in the highest position in a list because you are the most successful:
The Tower of London tops the list of London’s most popular tourist attractions.
the team that has topped the Premiership for the last three seasons
In 1998 the group topped the charts with the song ‘Don’t Stop Loving Me’.

3. DO BETTER if you top something, you do something that is better than it:
He topped his previous best performance, coming second in the 100 metres.

4. top an offer/a bid etc to offer more money than someone else:
A rival company topped our offer by $5 million.

5. be topped by something to have something on top:
The roof was topped by a chimney.
a hill topped by pine trees

6. be topped (off) with something if food is topped with something, it has that thing on it or over the top of it:
a strawberry tart topped with whipped cream
The cake can be topped off with fresh fruit.

7. to top it all spoken in addition to other bad things that have happened to you:
To top it all I lost my job.

8. top that spoken used when you are asking someone if they have done something more exciting or successful than you:
Well, I’ve been asked to appear on a TV show later this year, so top that!

9. top and tail British English to cut the top and bottom off a piece of fruit or a vegetable

10. top yourself British English informal to kill yourself deliberately

11. REACH THE TOP literary if you top a hill, you reach the top of it:
We topped the hill and looked down towards the valley below us.
top something ↔ off phrasal verb
to complete something successfully by doing one last thing:
Let’s top off the evening with a drink.
top out phrasal verb
if something such as a price that is increasing tops out, it reaches its highest point and stops rising:
Do you think interest rates have topped out now?
top something/somebody ↔ up phrasal verb especially British English

1. to add more liquid to a container that is partly full:
I’ll just top up the coffee pot.

2. to put more drink in someone’s glass or cup after they have drunk some:
Can I top you up?

3. to increase the level of something slightly so as to bring it back to the level you want:
He had to do extra jobs at the weekend to top up his income.
⇒ top-up

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

top
adj.
VERBS be | come She came top in the exams.
PREP. in She was top in maths.
of He was top of his class.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

top
noun
I. highest part/surface of sth
ADJ. extreme, very We didn't climb to the very top of the mountain, but close enough.
cliff (also clifftop), hill (also hilltop), mountain (also mountaintop), roof (also rooftop), table, tree (also treetop)
PREP. at the ~, on ~ Each cake had a cherry on top. There was a vase on top of the bookcase.
to the ~
PHRASES from top to bottom I'm going to clean the house from top to bottom this weekend.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

top
II. highest/most important rank/position
VERB + TOP get to, make it to, reach, rise to Few of the trainee footballers make it to the top. She rose to the top of her profession within ten years.
PREP. at the ~ The company has an unusually high proportion of young people at the top.
on ~, to the ~
PHRASES top of the agenda Pay was now (at the) top of the employees' agenda.
top of the class She was top of the class in maths.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

top
III. cover that you put on sth in order to close it
ADJ. bottle
VERB + TOP lever off, prise off, remove, take off, unscrew | put on, screw on

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

top
IV. piece of clothing
ADJ. hooded, long-sleeved, sleeveless | baggy, loose | bikini, pyjama, tracksuit
 ⇒ Special page at CLOTHES

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

top
noun
BAD: You will find my address on top of the letter.
GOOD: You will find my address at the top of the letter.

Usage Note:
at the top/bottom of a page or sheet of paper (NOT on ): 'Please write your name clearly at the top of each page.'
Compare: 'I eventually found the keys on top of the television.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

senior used about someone who has an important position in an organization. Senior can also be used about someone who has a higher position than you in an organization:
a senior executive
She’s a senior partner in a law firm.
She is senior to me.
chief [only before noun] used, especially in job titles, about someone who has the most important or one of the most important positions in an organization:
Carole is the company’s chief financial officer.
He’s the chief economist at Hangseng Bank.
high-ranking [only before noun] used about someone who has a high position in an organization such as the government, the army, or the police:
high-ranking government officials
a high-ranking police officer
top [only before noun] used about someone who is very good, important, or successful in their job:
a top lawyer
He’s one of the President’s top aides.
top diplomats
junior used about someone who has a low position in an organization. Junior can also be used about someone who has a lower position than you in an organization:
a junior clerk
a junior doctor
His role as naval officer was junior to Nelson.
assistant [only before noun] an assistant manager, director, editor etc has a position just below a manager etc:
He’s an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard University.
She became assistant director at the Belgrade Theatre.
take/hold a position (=have an opinion)
We take the position that these changes are to be welcomed.
adopt a position (=start having an opinion)
In 1898, the Church adopted its current position.
change your position
Since then, the party has changed its position.
reconsider your position (=think again about it and perhaps change it)
The UN Secretary General urged the US to reconsider its position.
defend a position
Each of the next three speakers defended a different position.
an official position (=one that a government or organization says officially that it has)
This was the French government’s official position.
an extreme position
Few people hold this extreme position today.
a middle position (=one that is between two extreme positions)
They took a middle position, favouring decentralization but with some controls.
a neutral position (=not supporting either side in an argument)
The US claimed that Jordan had abandoned its neutral position and sided with Iraq.
hold a position (=have it)
She had previously held a senior position in another school.
apply for a position
I decided to apply for the position of head teacher.
take up a position (=start doing a job)
Woods took up a new position as managing director of a company in Belfast.
leave a position
He left his position as Chief Conductor of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra.
resign from a position
She has resigned from her position as department secretary.
offer somebody a position
They offered me the position of store manager.
fill a position (=find someone to do a job)
We are now seeking to fill some key positions in the company.
a senior position
Decision making is done by managers holding the most senior positions.
a junior position
I left school and was offered a junior position in a bank.
a permanent/temporary position
It's a temporary position initially, for six months.
a position of power/authority
Many used their positions of power for personal advantage.
a position of influence
The media have an unrivalled position of influence.
a position of trust
As a church leader, he was in a position of trust.
a position of responsibility
Did you hold any positions of responsibility at school or university?
a position of leadership
She had risen to a position of leadership.
a privileged position
The public expects the Royal Family to earn its privileged position.
an influential position
It's useful if you have friends in influential positions.
a powerful position
Many leaders from that period are still in powerful positions in government.
a dominant position
The firm achieved a dominant position in the world market.
occupy a position
Those who occupy positions of power do not want democracy.
maintain a position (=keep the rank that you have)
High-status groups do all they can to maintain their positions.
use your position
She can now use her position to do some good.
abuse your position (=use your level or rank wrongly)
He abused his position as a doctor.
put to move something to a particular place:
I’ve put the wine in the fridge.
Where have you put my grey shirt?
place to put something somewhere carefully:
‘It’s beautiful,’ he said, placing it back on the shelf.
lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surface:
He laid all the money on the table.
She laid the baby on his bed.
position to carefully put something in a suitable position:
Position the microphone to suit your height.
Troops were positioned around the city.
slip to put something somewhere with a quick movement:
He slipped his arm around her waist.
Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.
shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelessly:
Shove anything you don’t want in that sack.
I’ve ironed those shirts so don’t just shove them in a drawer.
stick (also bung British English) informal to put something somewhere quickly or carelessly:
I stuck the address in my pocket and I can’t find it now.
Could you bung those clothes in the washing machine?
dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy way:
Don’t just dump all your bags in the kitchen.
People shouldn’t dump rubbish at the side of the street.
pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time:
Pop it in the microwave for a minute.
thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully:
‘Hide it,’ he said, thrusting the watch into her hand.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

young not old:
a young man of about 22
My dad died when I was young.
There are excellent facilities for young children.
Young people are often unable to get jobs.
small/little a small child is very young. Little sounds more informal than small, and is used especially in spoken English:
They have two small children.
We used to go camping a lot when the kids were little.
teenage [only before noun] between the ages of 13 and 19:
a group of teenage boys
They have three teenage children.
adolescent especially written at the age when you change from being a child into an adult – used especially when talking about the problems that young people have at this age:
Sudden mood changes are common in adolescent girls.
adolescent behaviour
juvenile /ˈdʒuːvənaɪl $ -nəl, -naɪl/ [only before noun] formal connected with young people who commit crime:
juvenile crime
a special prison for juvenile offenders
juvenile deliquents (=young people who commit crimes)
youthful especially written seeming young, or typical of someone who is young – often used about someone who is no longer young:
a youthful 55 year old
youthful enthusiasm
Andrew still has a slim youthful look about him.
The photograph showed a youthful, smiling Rose.
junior connected with sports played by young people rather than adults:
the junior championships
the junior champion
senior used about someone who has an important position in an organization. Senior can also be used about someone who has a higher position than you in an organization:
a senior executive
She’s a senior partner in a law firm.
She is senior to me.
chief [only before noun] used, especially in job titles, about someone who has the most important or one of the most important positions in an organization:
Carole is the company’s chief financial officer.
He’s the chief economist at Hangseng Bank.
high-ranking [only before noun] used about someone who has a high position in an organization such as the government, the army, or the police:
high-ranking government officials
a high-ranking police officer
top [only before noun] used about someone who is very good, important, or successful in their job:
a top lawyer
He’s one of the President’s top aides.
top diplomats
assistant [only before noun] an assistant manager, director, editor etc has a position just below a manager etc:
He’s an assistant professor of neurology at Harvard University.
She became assistant director at the Belgrade Theatre.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

top
• top (someone or something)
to do or be better than someone or something
The young woman topped everyone in her class with the excellent job that she did in her exam.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

top something
• top (someone or something)
to do or be better than someone or something
The young woman topped everyone in her class with the excellent job that she did in her exam.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

top
̈ɪtɔp
See: at the top of one's voice , big top , blow a fuse or blow one's top , hard-top , off the top of one's head , on top , on top of , on top of the world , over the top

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲