noun | adjective
toptop1 /tɑp/ noun 1 
the highest part of something► top the highest part of something: Beth was shorter, and Marcia could see over the top of her head. The page number was at the top of the page.
► summit the top of a high mountain: It took the climbers four hours to reach the summit of the mountain.
► peak the pointed top of a mountain: On a clear day, the snow-covered peaks of the mountains can be seen from miles away.
► crest the top of a hill or a wave: When we reached the crest of the hill, we stopped to enjoy the view.
► tip the pointed end of something, often the top end: The tip of the iceberg was visible above the water.
ANTONYMS ➔ see bottom (1)2 something you put on a container to close it► top the cover for any container or a pen: Who left the top off the toothpaste again?
► lid a cover for a pot, box, or other container: Put the lid on the pot, so the water will boil faster.
► cap a cover that closes a bottle or tube, or goes on the end of a pen: She was having trouble getting the cap off the pill bottle.
➔ see shirt noun | adjective
toptop2 /tɑp/ adjective 1 highest► top farthest from the bottom: He undid the top button of his shirt because his collar was too tight. Some of the top layer of paint had come off, but there were still more layers underneath.
► highest farthest from the ground or from the bottom of something: The cookies were on the highest shelf, so the kids couldn’t reach them.
► upper in a higher position than another part of something: Several of her upper teeth were missing. The stairs led to the upper floors of the building.
► uppermost (formal) at the top of something, above all of its other parts: She climbed the stairs and sat on the uppermost step.
2 best or most important► top best, most important, or most successful: As the world’s top tennis player, he is expected to win easily. Money problems are among the top ten reasons for divorce.
► leading best, most important, or most successful: The nation’s leading politicians attended the meeting.
► chief most important: Safety is our chief concern.
► premier best in quality or most important: The president stayed at the city’s premier hotel.
► foremost the best, most skilled, or most important: One of the country’s foremost surgeons will perform the surgery.
➔ see bestGRAMMAR CHECK: topThe words for top that mean “best” or “most important” are always used before a noun: The secretary of state will meet with top Chinese officials. | The company is a leading provider of Internet services.