[f. TOP v.1 + -ER1.]
1. A person or thing that tops; one who cuts off the top of a tree; an instrument for topping (TOP v.1 4, 7); a candle-snuffer; a comb-maker’s equilateral single-cut file or float.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 381/2. A pair of Snuffers, or a pair of Toppers.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., s.v. Float, A single-cut file, or one in which the teeth are parallel and unbroken by a second row of crossing teeth…. The floats of comb-makers and ivory-carvers … are known by specific names, as graille, found, carlet, topper.
1883. H. Walker in Leisure Hour, 505/1. Beeches unscathed by topper and lopper.
1895. Oracle Encycl., II. 125/1. Finished off with wedge-shaped files, called the graille, carlet, topper, &c.
† b. One who ‘tops’ (TOP v.1 17 a) at dice; a cheating gamester. Obs. rare.
1671. Shadwell, Humourist, III. Wks. 1720, I. 174. Nor is it five months, since I saw you … by help of a dozen men, chastise one poor Topper or Palmer.
c. A horse or rider that tops a fence.
1854. Warter, Last of Old Squires, xii. 133. He saw him take a Fence that would have baulked a Leicestershire Topper.
2. One who makes or adds the top to something; one who works at the upper part of a garment.
1884. E. Simcox, in 19th Cent., June, 1041. A shirtmaker proper, otherwise called a ‘topper.’
1905. Daily Chron., 23 June, 8/7. Shirt Hands.—Wanted a few good buttonholers and toppers.
