Top-diver, subs. phr. (old).—'A Lover of Women. An old Top-diver, one that has Lov'd Old-hat in his time' (B. E. and Grose).
Top-dressing, subs. phr. (journalistic).—An
introduction to a
report: usually written by an
experienced hand and set in
larger type.
Tope, verb. (old: now colloquial).—To
drink: spec. to drink hard.
Hence toper = a confirmed
tippler, a soaker (q.v.); to
tope it about = to keep the
bottle going briskly (B. E. and
Grose).
1675. Cotton, Scoffer Scofft, 'Juno and Jupiter.' A sturdy Piece of Flesh, and proper, A merry Grig, and a true Toper.
d. 1680. Butler, Epig., 'On Club of Sots.' The jolly members of a toping club.
1688. Dryden, To Sir Geo. Etherege, 59. If you tope in form, and treat, 'Tis the sour sauce to the sweet meat, The fine you pay for being great.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, v. xxii. They toped . . . cool sparkling . . . syrup; which went down like mother's milk. Ibid., xlii. Oh! that . . . we gentlemen topers had but necks some three cubits long.
1765. Tucker, Light of Nature, I. i. v. Sits among his fellow topers at the twopenny club.
d. 1796. Burns [Merry Muses (c. 1800), 118]. Three wives, Who . . . often met to tope and chat, And tell odd tales of men.
d. 1845. Hood, Don't You Smell Fire? Was there ever so thirsty an elf?—But he still may tope on.
1877. Besant and Rice, Son of Vulcan, Prol. i. In the public houses . . . the topers . . . keep [New Year's Eve] as they keep every feast . . . by making it a day more than usually unholy.
Top-heavy, adj. phr. (old).—Drunk:
see Screwed (Ray, B. E.
and Grose).
Top-honours, subs. phr. (old
nautical).—Top-sails.
1700. Prior, Carmen Seculare, 36. Let all the naval World due Homage pay; With hasty Reverence their Top-honours lower.
Top-joint. See Top-o'-reeb.
Toplights. See Top, subs.
Top-lofty, adj. phr. (American).—Pretentious;
bombastic; high-falutin
(q.v.): also top-loftical.
1879. Congregationalist, 17 Dec. Toploftical talking . . . and inflammatory speeches.
Top-o'-reeb, subs. phr. (back
slang).—A pot of beer. Top-joint
= a pint of beer.
Top of the Morning, subs. phr.
(common).—A cheery greeting.
1855. Taylor, Still Waters, ii. 2. The top of the mornin' to ye, my boy! I'll be off to the City.
Topper, subs. (tramps').—1. A
cigar stump; and (2) a plug of
tobacco at the bottom of a pipe.
Hence topper-hunter = a
scavenger of half-smoked and
refuse tobacco.
3. (common).—A lanky person; a lamp-post (q.v.).
4. See Top, subs. and verb.
Topping-cheat. See Top, subs. 1.
Top-ropes. To sway away on
all top ropes, verb. phr. (old).—To
live riotously or extravagantly
(Grose).
