(a) The higher end of something vertical: the top of a tree, mast, standard, etc.; tre ~; ~ ne more, neither top nor root, nothing at all; up to the ~ from the more, from beginning to end; (b) the narrow end or growing tip of a branch; a shoot; also, the tip of a sword; principal ~, the growing tip of a plant's central stem.

(a) The summit of a hill or mountain, crest; (b) the roof of a house, pavilion, or other structure; the ridge or top of a wall; also, a piece or socket fitted to the top of a torch; grene ~, the top of a funeral pyre made from freshly cut wood; (c) the cover or lid of a vessel; also, the knob on a cover for a vessel; also [quot. a1500], ?the pommel of a sword; ?a cupola or dome; (d) the rim of a ditch; (e) toppes of hevenes, the highest extent of the firmament; (f) fig., the highest level (of a condition or quality), peak.

(a) The head of a person or an animal; also in fig. context [last quot.]; ~ teler, q.v.; ~ overterven, to topple; sweren bi his ~, swear or assert solemnly; turnen the ~ to the to(s, overturn the normal order; (b) the crown of the head; ?also, the forehead [quot. a1500 Add.37075 Gloss]; ~ of the hed (her); fore ~, q.v.; (c) the hair on the crown of the head; ben in otheres ~, to be in conflict with another, attack another; (d) the ~ of the shulder, the uppermost part of the shoulder joint; (e) hunt. the end or uppermost part of the main stem of the hart's horn.

In frequently occurring adv. and prep. phrases: (a) ~ and tail, all over the body; completely; ~ over tail, tail over ~, head over heels, headlong; (b) bi ~ and tail, bi ~ and bi to, by head and feet; bi the (that, etc.) ~, by the head; by the hair; unto the ~, up to the head, totally; (c) from ~ to fot, from ~ to the hough (to), from ~ to (til) to, from the ~ to (in-to, unto) the to, etc., from head to foot, from top to bottom, all over the body; also, completely, totally; (d) from the ~ of the hed to the sole of the fot, from the sole of the fot to (unto) the ~ of the hed, from the sole of the fot til to the ~, etc., from the crown to the sole, from top to bottom, all over the body; (e) in oaths and asseverations: bi min ~.

(a) A platform near the top of the mast of a ship, esp. one on a fighting ship, topcastle; also fig.; (b) a representation of a platform near the top of the mast of a ship; (c) in cpds. & combs.: ~ arming (armure), a covering for the topcastle of a ship; ~ castel, q.v.; ~ latthe, ?strips of wood used in building topcastles [could also be construed as sense 2.(b)]; ~ line, a line or rope that runs to the top of the mast; ~ nail, ?a nail used in the construction of a topcastle; ?a fid or metal bar used to support a topmast; ~ seil-cole, q.v.; ~ seile, q.v.; maister ~, the platform attached to the main mast.

(a) The beginning or early part of a period of time; (b) the beginning of a story, matter of concern, etc.;—used in phrases: ~ and tail, beginning and end, everything; from ~ to (unto) tail, from ~ and tail, from the ~ unto the laste nail, from tail to ~, from beginning to end, fully, thoroughly; (c) in adv. and prep. phrases, with weakened sense: bothe ~ and tail, altogether; absolutely; from ~ to tail, from tail to ~, completely.

(a) A tuft of fibers or wool; a bunch of flax; ~ of flex (lin), flex ~; (b) ~ of her, a tuft of hair at the front part of the top of the head, forelock; fore ~ [see for(e-top n. 1.(a)].

(a) Error through misconstruction of L vertex whirlpool; (b) in comb.: ~ side, ?the dorsal side of an animal; ?error for tother side [cp. tother adj.].

In surnames.