to top
- verb
- /tɑp/
- The gardener will top the hedges to maintain their shape and size.
Examples
-
I take a little bit of this, and I top it right off here into here.
-
Can we top these off?
-
I cut all of the weird top growth off this tree.
-
A massive pruning mistake that I've seen people make is topping off their tomatoes.
-
Before winter, it's important to top the shrubs to keep them healthy.
-
To encourage new growth, you should top the taller branches of the tree.
Synonyms
Cut off branches to make a tree or plant tidy and healthy
Cut off the tip of a plant shoot to make it grow more branches
To cut off the top of a tree or branch
Idioms
Phrasal Verbs
To reach the highest place in the music charts because many people buy or play it online
Compounds
- Specialized
Delivered over the internet directly to users instead of through cable services
- Archaic
A tall leather shoe that reaches halfway to the knee and is worn for riding or historical dress
- Archaic
A folding hood on a carriage pulled by horses that protects passengers from rain and wind
- Australian
A tall evergreen tree from Tasmania with strong, fine wood that people use for boats and building
- Specialized
A tall North American plant with long white flowers that keeps insects away
- Informal
Loud exaggerated actions meant to get attention or make people laugh
- Archaic
A small table with a top that can be turned up to stand upright to save space
- Specialized
A yeast that rises to the top when beer is made and is used to brew ales
- Specialized
A thin layer of compost or fertilizer spread on top of soil to help plants grow without mixing it in
- Specialized
A way of making beer where yeast rises to the top at warm temperatures for ales
- Specialized
A plant that makes small bulbs at the top instead of flowers and gives young shoots for salads
- Specialized
A long horizontal pole high on a sailing ship that holds the topgallant sail
How Much
Surface Forms
Etymology
Top meaning to cut off the top part comes from the noun top for the upper part, so to top a tree is to remove its highest part. This use simply names the action on the 'top' of something.