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Glite Dictionary
tip-top table

tip-top table

9.0
A small table with a top that folds up to stand upright for storage
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : mesa abatible
  • The antique dealer showed us a beautiful tip-top table from the eighteenth century.

Examples

  • When not in use, the tip-top table can be folded up to save space in the room.

  • He admired the craftsmanship of the tip-top table, especially the elegant hinge mechanism.

  • I bought a tip-top table for my living room.

  • The tip-top tables at the antique store caught my eye.

  • The antique dealer showed us a beautiful tip-top table from the eighteenth century.

  • When not in use, the tip-top table can be folded up to save space in the room.

  • He admired the craftsmanship of the tip-top table, especially the elegant hinge mechanism.

Synonyms

tilt-top table
vstip-top table
  • Archaic
7.0

A small table with a top that can be turned up to stand upright to save space

emphasizes use for storage or display rather than structural support details
tip table
vstip-top table
7.8

A small table with a top that tilts up to save space

highlights display use and pedestal construction more than mere space saving

How Compact

tip-top table
  • UK
9.0
table
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

tip-top table singular
tip-top tables plural

Morphology

tip-top + table

The meaning (a table whose top can tip/tilt) is partially derivable from the constituents: 'tip' (to tilt) + 'top' (the upper surface) + 'table', so a learner who recognises these senses could infer a tilting tabletop. However, the form 'tip-top' is also an established adjective meaning 'excellent' and this is a specialized furniture term (often written 'tilt-top' or 'flip-top'), so the sense is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Tip-top table gets its name from the way its hinged top could be tipped up, so you literally tip the top to stand the table upright. That's why the name means a small table whose top tilts up for 'storage' or 'display'.