to top
Preserved but no longer current.
To cheat, or trick: also to insult: he thought to have topped upon me. Top; the signal among taylors for snuffing the candles: he who last pronounces that word word, is obliged to get up and perform the operation.--to be topped; to be hanged. The cove was topped for smashing queerscreens; he was hanged for uttering forged bank notes.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to top” mean?
To cheat, or trick: also to insult: he thought to have topped upon me. Top; the signal among taylors for snuffing the candles: he who last pronounces that word word, is obliged to get up and perform the operation.--to be topped; to be hanged. The cove was topped for smashing queerscreens; he was hanged for uttering forged bank notes.
Is “to top” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.