Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TOP'-AR-MOR, n.

In ships, a railing on the top, supported by stanchions and equipped with netting.

TO'PAZ, n. [Gr. τοπαζιον.]

A mineral, said to be so called from Topazos, a small isle in the Arabic gulf, where the Romans obtained a stone which they called by this name, but which is the chrysolite of the moderns. The lustre of the topaz is vitreous; the streak white; the color yellow, white, green, blue, pale; transparent, or subtranslucent; fracture subcoinchoidal, uneven. Its ultimate composition is silicum, aluminum, fluorine, oxygen. The primary form of its crystal is a right rhombic prism. It has been supposed to be a fluosilicate of alumina. Topaz is valued as a gem or precious stone, and is used in jewelry.

TO-PAZ'O-LITE, n.

A variety of precious garnet, of a topaz yellow color, or an olive green. Ure. Cleaveland.

TOP'-BLOCK, n.

In ships, a block hung to an eye-bolt in the cap, used in swaying and lowering the top-mast.

TOP'-CHAIN, n.

In ships, a chain to sling the lower yards in time of action, to prevent their falling when the ropes by which they are hung, are shot away.

TOP'-CLOTH, n.

In ships, a piece of canvas used to cover the hammocks which are lashed to the top in action.

TOP'-DRAIN-ING, n.

The act or practice of draining the surface of land.

TOP'-DRESS-ING, n.

A dressing of manure laid on the surface of land. Cyc.

TOPE, n.

A fish of the shark kind, the Squalus galeus of Linnæus. Cyc.

TOPE, v.i. [Fr. toper. Qu. dip.]

To drink hard; to drink strong or spirituous liquors to excess. If you tope in form, and treat. Dryden.

TO'PER, n.

One who drinks to excess; a drunkard; a sot.

TOP'ET, n.

A small bird, the crested titmouse. N. B. The crested titmouse of Latham, Parus bicolor, is the toupet titmouse of Pennant. Ed. Encyc.

TOP'FULL, a. [top and full.]

Full to the brim. Watts.

TOP-GAL'LANT, a. [See Top-sail.]

Highest; elevated; splendid; as, a top-gallant spark. L'Estrange.

TOPH, or TOPH'IN, n. [from the Latin.]

A kind of sandstone.

TO-PHA'CEOUS, a.

Gritty; sandy; rough; stony. Arbuthnot.

TOP'-HEAV-Y, a. [top'-hevy; top and heavy.]

Having the top or upper part too heavy for the lower. Wotton.

TO'PHET, n. [Heb. תפת tophet, a drum.]

Hell; so called from a place east of Jerusalem where children were burnt to Moloch, and where drums were used to drown their cries.

TO'PHI, n.

Ducksten; a stone formed by earthy depositions; called also tufa or trass.

TOP'I-A-RY, a. [L. topiarius, ornamented.]

Shaped by clipping or cutting. Butler.

TOP'IC, or TOP'IC-AL, a. [supra.]

1. Pertaining to a place; limited; local; as, a topical remedy.
2. Pertaining to a topic or subject of discourse, or to a general head.

TOP'IC, n. [Gr. τοπος, place; L. topicus, topica; Sans. topu.]

1. Any subject of discourse or argument. The Scriptures furnish an unlimited number of topics for the preacher, and topics infinitely interesting.
2. In rhetoric, a probable argument drawn from the several circumstances and places of a fact. Aristotle wrote a book of topics. Cicero defines topics to be the art of finding arguments. Cyc.
3. Principle of persuasion. Contumacious persons whom no topics can work upon. Wilkins.
4. In medicine, an external remedy; a remedy to be applied outwardly to a particular part of the body, as a plaster, a poultice, a blister and the like. Cyc.

TOP'IC-AL-LY, adv.

1. Locally; with limitation to a part.
2. With application to a particular part; as, a remedy topically applied.

TOP'-KNOT, n. [top and knot.]

A knot worn by females on the top of the head.

TOP'LESS, a.

Having no top; as, a topless highth. Chapman.