top

Top is a term with multiple meanings in English, used as a noun and a verb. As a noun it commonly refers to the uppermost part or surface of something, such as the top of a hill or the upper garment known as a top. It also names a small spinning toy that balances on a tip and spins when set in motion with a string or by hand.

In reference to rankings, top describes the highest or most prominent position, as in “at the top of the chart” or “the top scorer.” In culinary language, a topping is an added ingredient placed on food, and the verb “to top” means to place such an addition on a dish, for example “top the cake with fruit.”

Within science, “top” is the name of the heaviest known elementary particle, the top quark, a fundamental constituent of matter in the standard model; its discovery in 1995 helped complete the set of quarks. The term also appears in idioms such as “to top off” or “to top it all,” meaning to finish with an extra touch or to surpass a previous result.

Overall, top conveys notions of highest position, upper surface, or final enhancement, depending on the context.