Emily Dickinson Lexicon

UP'PER, a. [comp. from up.]

1. Higher in place; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing. An upper story is a higher one; the upper story is the highest. So the upper deck of a ship.
2. Superior in rank or dignity; as, the upper house of a legislature. Upper hand, advantage; superiority. Upper-works, in a ship, the parts above water when the ship is properly balanced for a voyage; or that part which is above the main wale. Cyc.