Definition Of Top Noun From The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Toggle navigation Redeem Upgrade Help Sign in

• Dictionaries
  • Dictionaries home
  • English
  • American English
  • Academic
  • Collocations
  • German-English
• Grammar
  • Grammar home
  • Practical English Usage
  • Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists
  • Word Lists home
  • My Word Lists
  • Topics
  • Recent additions
• Resources
  • Resources home
  • Text Checker

Sign in Dictionaries

• Dictionaries home
• English
• American English
• Academic
• Collocations
• German-English

Grammar

• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)

Word Lists

• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Topics
• Recent additions

Resources

• Resources home
• Text Checker

Redeem Upgrade Help TOP English English American English Academic English Collocations Practical English Usage German-English English-German English American English Enter search text

Definition of top noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

top noun   /tɒp/  /tɑːp/Idioms jump to other results

highest point

1.   [countable] the highest part or point of something
   • at the top of something She was standing at the top of the stairs.
   • The title is right at the top of the page.
   • at the top Write your name at the top.
   • to the top He filled my glass to the top.
   • to the top of something We climbed to the very top of the hill.
   • on the top Snow was falling on the mountain tops.
   • on the top of something He was completely bald on the top of his head.
   • I was out of breath when I reached the top.
   • (British English) the top of the milk (= the cream that rises to the top of a bottle of milk)
   • The wind was blowing in the tops of the trees.
   see also rooftop, treetopOxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • extreme
   • very
   • cliff
   • …
   preposition
   • at the top
   • on top
   • to the top
   • …
   phrases
   • from top to bottom
   See full entry

   Take your English to the next level

   The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

   

upper surface

2.   [countable] the upper flat surface of something
   • Can you polish the top of the table?
   see also desktop (2), flat-top, hardtop, roll-top desk, soft-top, tabletopOxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • extreme
   • very
   • cliff
   • …
   preposition
   • at the top
   • on top
   • to the top
   • …
   phrases
   • from top to bottom
   See full entry

clothing

3.   [countable] a piece of clothing worn on the upper part of the body
   • I need a top to go with this skirt.
   • a tracksuit/bikini/pyjama top
   • He was wearing a blue hooded top.
   • She wore a pink skirt with a matching top.
   see also crop top, tank topTopics Clothes and Fashiona2Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • halter
   • hooded
   • long-sleeved
   • …
   See full entry

of pen/bottle

4. enlarge image  [countable] a thing that you put on the end of something to close it
   • Where's the top of this pen?
   • a bottle with a screw top
   Synonyms lidlidtop ▪ cork ▪ cap ▪ plugThese are all words for a cover for a container.lid a cover over a container that can be removed or opened by turning or lifting it:
   • a jar with a tight-fitting lid
   top a thing that you put over the end of something such as a pen or bottle in order to close itcork a small, round object made of cork or plastic that is used for closing bottles, especially wine bottlescap (often in compounds) a top for a pen or a cover for protecting something such as the lens of a cameraplug a round piece of material that you put into a hole in order to block it; a flat, round rubber or plastic thing that you put into the hole of a sink in order to stop the water from flowing out:
   • a bath plug
   Patterns
   • a tight-fitting lid/​top/​cap
   • a screw top/​cap
   • a pen lid/​top
   • to put on/​screw on/​take off/​unscrew the lid/​top/​cap
   • to pull out the cork/​plug
   Extra Examples
   • He popped the top of a soda can.
   • We used to collect milk bottle tops for charity.
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • bottle
   verb + top
   • lift
   • lift off
   • pop
   • …
   See full entry

highest rank

5.   the top [singular] the highest or most important rank or position
   • at the top of something They finished the season at the top of the league.
   • He's at the top of his profession.
   • We have a lot of things to do, but packing is at the top of the list.
   • at the top The company needs to make a change at the top.
   • to the top She is determined to make it to the top (= achieve fame or success).
   • He worked his way to the top in just a few short years.
   • to the top of something The album shot straight to the top of the charts.
   • The issue has recently risen to the top of the agenda.
   • I would not have gone into boxing if I didn't think I could reach the top.
   • This decision came from the top.
   Extra Examples
   • The company has an unusually high proportion of young people at the top.
   • Pay was now at the top of the employees' agenda.
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + top
   • get to
   • make it to
   • reach
   • …
   preposition
   • at the top
   • on top
   • to the top
   • …
   phrases
   • top of the agenda
   • top of the class
   See full entry

furthest point

6. [singular] the top of something the end of a street, table, etc. that is furthest away from you or from where you usually come to it
   • I'll meet you at the top of Thorpe Street.

leaves of plant

7. [countable, usually plural] the leaves of a plant that is grown mainly for its root
   • Remove the green tops from the carrots.

amount of money/time

8. tops [plural] (informal) used after an amount of money, time, etc. to show that it is the highest, longest, etc. possible
   • It couldn't have cost more than £50, tops.
   • It'll take a couple of hours, tops.

best

9. tops [plural] (old-fashioned, informal) a person or thing of the best quality
   • Among sports superstars she’s (the) tops.
   • In the survey the Brits come out tops for humour.

toy

10. [countable] a child’s toy that turns round on a point when it is moved very quickly by hand or by a string
    • She was so confused—her mind was spinning like a top.
see also big top, red-topWord Originnoun senses 1 to 9 late Old English topp (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch top ‘summit, crest’. noun sense 10 late Old English, of unknown origin.

Idioms at the top/bottom of the heap

1. high up/low down in the structure of an organization or a society
   • These workers are at the bottom of the economic heap.

at the top of the tree

1. in the highest position or rank in a profession or career

at the top of your voice

1. as loudly as possible
   • She was screaming at the top of her voice.
   • I was shouting at the top of my voice but she couldn't hear me.

blow your top (North American English also blow your stack)

1. (informal) to get very angry

(at the) bottom/top of the pile

1. in the least/most important position in a group of people or things
   • It’s been 20 years since a British player was top of the pile.
   • The government is doing little to help those at the bottom of the social pile.

come out on top

1. to win a contest or an argument
   • In most boardroom disputes he tends to come out on top.
   Topics Opinion and argumentc2

from top to bottom

1. going to every part of a place in a very careful way
   • We cleaned the house from top to bottom.

from top to toe

1. completely; all over
   • She was dressed in green from top to toe.

get on top of somebody

1. to be too much for somebody to manage or deal with
   • All this extra work is getting on top of him.

get on top of something

1. to manage to control or deal with something
   • How will I ever get on top of all this work?

off the top of your head

1. (informal) just guessing or using your memory, without taking time to think carefully or check the facts
   • I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but I can look it up for you.
   Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2

on top

1. on the highest point or surface
   • a cake with cream on top
   • Stand on top and look down.
2. in a leading position or in control
   • She remained on top for the rest of the match.
3. in addition
   • Look, here's 30 dollars, and I'll buy you lunch on top.

on top of something/somebody

1.   on, over or covering something/somebody
   • Books were piled on top of one another.
   • There was a vase on top of the bookcase.
   • Many people were crushed when the building collapsed on top of them.
2.   in addition to something
   • He gets commission on top of his salary.
   • On top of everything else, my car's been stolen.
3. very close to something/somebody
   • We were all living on top of each other in that tiny apartment.
4. in control of a situation
   • Do you think he's really on top of his job?
   • Work tends to pile up if I don’t keep on top of it.

on top of the world

1. very happy or proudTopics Feelingsc1

over the top

1. (abbreviation OTT) (especially British English, informal) done with too much acting, emotion or effort
   • His performance is completely over the top.
   • an over-the-top reaction

take something from the top

1. (informal) to go back to the beginning of a song, piece of music, etc. and repeat it
   • OK, everybody, let's take it from the top.

thin/bald on top

1. (informal) with little or no hair on the head
   • He's starting to get a little thin on top (= he's losing his hair).
   • He's going bald on top.
   Topics Appearancec2

up top

1. (British English, informal) used to talk about a person’s intelligence
   • He hasn't got much up top (= he isn't very intelligent).
   • It’s what’s up top (= how intelligent you are) that matters.

See top in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee top in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: top

Other results

All matches

• top adjective
• top verb
• Top 40 noun
• top up
• top-up noun
• big top noun
• crop top noun
• flat-top noun
• high-top adjective
• open-top adjective
• red-top noun
• soft-top noun
• tank top noun
• tip-top adjective
• top dog noun
• top-down adjective
• top-end adjective
• top gear noun
• Top Gun
• top hat noun

See more Phrasal verbs

• top somebody up
• top something up
• top out (at something)
• top something off (with something)

Idioms

• blow your top
• from top to toe
• thin/bald on top
• from top to bottom
• to cap/top it all
• top and tail something
• to top/cap it all
• in the first/top flight
• off the top of your head
• at the top/bottom of the heap
• (at the) bottom/top of the pile
• pay, earn, charge, etc. top dollar

See more

Nearby words

• tootsies noun
• Top 40 noun
• top noun
• top adjective
• top verb

quantity noun From the Word list OPAL spoken words Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day