[f. TOP v.1 + -ING1. In some concrete senses associated with TOP sb.1]
1. The action of TOP v.1 in various senses.
a. The making, formation, putting on, or adding of a top or tops (see TOP v.1 III). b. The cutting off of the top (of a tree or plant). † c. A method of cheating at dice (TOP v.1 17 a). d. Levelling the teeth of a wheel or a saw. e. Topping up, completing, bringing to perfection.
a. 1504. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 279. His task of the ending and topping of the chimnais of Halyrudhous.
1883. R. Haldane, Workshop Receipts, Ser. II. 228/1. This colour may be modified by topping with small quantities of magenta, &c.
1888. Times, 8 Sept., 9/2. The practice of what is known … as topping, that is of putting good fruit at the top, and of filling the rest of the hamper with rubbish.
1896. Jrnl. R. Horticult. Soc., Nov., 209. I believe the old system of … ‘topping-up’ is not quite as prevalent as it was some years ago.
1908. Toilers of Deep, Sept., 185/2. The herrings have also shrunk and settled down—‘pined,’ as it is called—and several more layers have now to be added in order to fill the barrel again. This is called ‘topping.’
1909. Daily Chron., 18 Jan., 9/5. Trousers.—A smart girl wanted for topping and seams.
b. 1513. MS. Acc. St. John’s Hosp., Canterb. For toppyng of xij treys & broshyng.
1550. Cranmer, Def. Sacrament, Pref. *iij b. The cuttyng away wherof is but like toppyng and loppyng of a tree.
1657. W. Morice, Coena quasi Κοινὴ, ii. 37. Those that could not be satisfied with the topping, but wished the cutting down of the … Tree.
1797. A. Young, Agric. Suffolk, 109. Take up [carrots] at 14d. to 16d. a load, topping included.
1807. J. Hall, Trav. Scot., II. 445. Hedges frequently require topping.
c. 1663. Proposal to use no Conscience, 3. Holding one or two Dice at the top of a Dice-Box, which we Gamesters call Topping.
1680. Kirkman, Eng. Rogue, IV. xvi. 226. You must sometimes use Topping; that is, by pretending to put both Dice into the Box, whereas you have dropt but one, holding the other between your fore-fingers.
1680. Cotton, Compl. Gamester (ed. 2), 11. [Fully described.]
1726. Art & Myst. Mod. Gaming (title-p.), Working with a grate Box, Eclipsing, Sighting, Waxing, and Topping.
d. 1884. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 152. The wheel is so fragile that care is required in topping.
e. 1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 403. It was not thought advisable to wait longer for the ultimate ‘topping up’ of the beeves. They were good enough.
f. Topping of the land, the sighting of the land from a ship’s top; the limit or distance at which this is possible.
1666. Lond. Gaz., No. 77/1. Whitby, August 3. Several of our Fisherboats inform us that the Dutch Busses, and Doggers are fishing, a little off the Topping of the Land.
2. A distinct part or appendage that forms a top to anything, a crest; the top-lock or forelock of the hair of the head; the forelock of a horse or other beast; the crest of a bird. Also the erect tassel of a Scotch cap, and humorously the head (dial. usually toppin).
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 19. Þe tayl & his [a horse’s] toppyng twynnen of a sute, & bounden boþe wyth a bande of a bryȝt grene.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet, 146. Þen sal þe prelete with a payr of schers be-gyn forto kut hir hair befor at þe toppyng.
1483. Cath. Angl., 390/1. A Toppynge, cirrus, cirritus, crista, coma.
1593. Bacchus’ Bountie, in Harl. Misc. (1809), II. 268. Shee … tooke him roundly by the topping.
1688. J. Clayton, in Phil. Trans., XVII. 997. [In Virginia] The Tewits are smaller than the English, and have no long Toppins.
a. 1720. Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Wks. (1753), II. 140. A little Indian Bird is called a Pope, only because there grows a high Topping upon his head.
1751. Mrs. Delany, in Life & Corr. (1861), III. 39. A black cock and hen with white toppings.
1814. W. Nicholson, Peacock, II. Poet. Wks. 91. Wi’ frills an’ feathers on his tappin’.
1817. Lintown Green, II. xvi. Notes 154. His bonnet … Has tappin [1685 button] either nane.
1828. Craven Gloss., Topping, a crest, a plume or tuft of feathers on the head of birds; also, the hair on a person’s forehead.
1872. J. Hartley, Yorks. Ditties, Ser. II. 66. Thi toppin’s grown whiter nor once.
† b. Typog. The fine line or serif at the top of a letter. Obs.
1676. Moxon, Print Lett., 7. The Topping is the small Arch above the Letter, as the Arches in the Tops of the Letter V are the Toppings of that Letter. Ibid. (1683), Mech. Exerc., Printing, xiv. ¶ 2. The Topping, is the straight fine Stroak or Stroaks that lie in the Top-line of Ascending Letters.
c. Local term in Yorkshire for a hill.
1876. Whitby Gloss., Topping, a high hill. ‘Roseberry topping.’ ‘Blakey topping.’
1895. Constance Cotterell, Summer Holidays in N. E. Eng., p. xi. Hills and mountains in the three counties are anything and everything, from hopes, laws, fells and nabs, to howes, and heughs, and toppings.
3. † a. Arming for the tips of bows and arrows. Obs. rare. † b. A high head-dress or coiffure; cf. TOP sb.1 11 d. Obs. c. That which is put on the top of anything to complete it; a top layer; cf. TOP v.1 9. d. Angling. see quots. 1856, 1877.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xiii. (W. de W.), 773. of oxe hornes ben made tappynge [Bodl. MS. tippinges] and nockes to boowes … and arowes to shete ayenst enmyes.
c. 1690. Roxb. Ball. (1891), VII. 481. I wear my Topping, Lace, and Fan, and am on daintys feeding.
1700. T. Brown, Amusem. Ser. & Com., 57. They … touch the Clouds with their proud Toppings. Ibid. (a. 1704), Walk round Lond., Quaker’s Meet. (1709), 23. High Topping and Lace in a Woman, they abominate, as Ensigns of Vanity.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 580. The pot is now ready for receiving the topping of cullet, which is broken pieces of window glass.
1856. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Sports, I. V. ii. § 4. 247/1. Tail of two slips of brown mallard’s feather, with a thin topping of golden-pheasant’s crest.
1877. Hallock, Sportsman’s Gaz., 599. The tail [of a salmon fly] is what is usually called a ‘topping,’ i.e. feather from the crest of the golden pheasant.
1895. Westm. Gaz., 23 Nov., 7/2. From five to twelve score of whiting, with a topping of codling, form average baskets.
4. pl. a. Cuttings from the tops of trees: cf. TOP sb.1 6; also, the tops of hemp removed in hatchelling. b. The second skimmings of milk. dial. c. The best bran. dial.
1668. Rolle, Abridgm., Tit. Action sur Case (N.) pl. 22. 108. Les toppings del arbers cresent sur son Copihold.
1774. Foote, Cozeners, I. You are to have all the loppings and toppings.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, I. 62. The toppings of all hemp … is made into spun-yarn.
1801. Farmer’s Mag., April, 231. Many individuals have used heath and toppings of whins for their cattle.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Toppings, the second skimming of milk; the first being properly called cream.
1880. Jefferies, Hodge M., I. vi. 122. Old Hodson, to give an instance of his method, would not even fatten a pig, because it cost a trifle of ready money for ‘toppings,’ or meal, and nothing on earth could induce him to part with a coin that he had once grasped.
