Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TOP'MAN, n. [top and man.]

1. The man who stands above in sawing.
2. In ships, a man standing in the top.

TOP'MAST, n.

In ships, the second mast, or that which is next above the lower mast. Above that is the top-gallant-mast.

TOP'MOST, a. [top and most.]

Highest; uppermost; as, the topmost cliff; the topmost branch of a tree. Dryden. Addison.

TO-POG'RA-PHER, n. [See Topography.]

One who describes a particular place, town, cuy or tract of land.

TOP-O-GRAPH'IC, or TOP-O-GRAPH'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to topography; descriptive of a place.

TOP-O-GRAPH'IC-AL-LY, adv.

In the manner of topography.

TO-POG'RA-PHY, n. [Gr. τοπος, place, and γραφη, description.]

The description of a particular place, city, town, manor, parish or tract of land. It is of more limited application than chorography.

TOP'PED, or TOPT, pp. [or adj.]

Covered on the top; capped; surpassed; cropped; having the top cut off.

TOP'PING, n.

In seamen's language, the act of pulling one extremity of a yard higher than the other. Mar. Dict.

TOP'PING, ppr.

1. Covering the top; capping; surpassing; cropping; lopping.
2. adj. Fine; gallant. Johnson. [But Johnson's definition is probably incorrect.]
3. Proud; assuming superiority. [This is the sense in which the common people of New England use the word, and I believe the true sense, but it is not elegant.]

TOP'PING-LIFT, n.

A large strong tackle employed to suspend or top the outer end of a gaff; or of the boom of a main-sail, in a brig or schooner. Mar. Dict.

TOP'PING-LY, adv.

Proudly; with airs of disdain. [Not an elegant word, nor much used.]

TOP'PLE, v.i. [from top.]

To fall forward; to pitch or tumble down. Though castles topple on their warders' heads. Shak. [This word is used chiefly of children when beginning to walk.]

TOP'PLING, ppr.

Falling forward.

TOP'-PROUD, a. [top and proud.]

Proud to the highest degree. Shak.

TOP'-ROPE, n.

A rope to sway up a top-mast, &c.

TOP'-SAIL, n.

A sail extended across the top-mast, above which is the top-gallant-sail.

TOP'-SHAP-ED, a.

In botany, turbinate, i. e. inversely conical, with a contraction toward the point.

TOP'-SOIL-ING, n.

The act or art of taking off the top-soil of land, before a canal is begun.

TOP'-STONE, n.

A stone that is placed on the top, or which forms the top.

TOP-SY-TUR-VY, adv.

In an inverted posture; with the top or head downward; as, to turn a carriage topsy-turvy. South.

TOP'-TACK-LE, n.

A large tackle hooked to the lower end of the top-mast top-rope and to the deck. Mar. Dict.

TO-QUET, n. [toka'; Fr. a cap.]

A kind of bonnet or head dress for women.

TOR, n. [Sax. tor; L. turris.]

A tower; a turret; also, a high pointed hill; used in names.

TORCH, n. [It. torcia; Sp. antorcha; Fr. torche; D. toorts; probably a twist; It. torciare, to twist, Sp. torcêr, W. torçi, L. torqueo, tortus.]

A light or luminary formed of some combustible substance, as of resinous wood or of candles. They light the nuptial torch. Milton.