tip-topn.adj.adv.
colloquial.
A. n.
1. The very top; the highest point or part; the extreme summit.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > high position > [noun] > highest point or top
headOE
copa1000
heightOE
topc1000
highestlOE
crest1382
coperounc1400
summita1425
summity?a1425
toppet1439
altitude?a1475
upperest1484
principala1533
pitcha1552
supremity1584
culm1587
period1595
spire1600
upward1608
cope1609
fastigium1641
vertex1641
culmen1646
supreme1652
tip-top1702
peak1785
helm1893
altaltissimo1975
1702 [see sense A. 2a].
1759 Compl. Let.-writer (ed. 6) 219 Upon the tip top of the monument.
1826 in W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1827) II. 186 The tip-top of the plant.
1857 C. Dickens Let. 15 Apr. (1995) VIII. 314 On the tip top of Gad's Hill between this and Rochester..I have a pretty little old-fashioned house.
a1887 in W. P. Frith Autobiogr. II. ii. 37 You should paint him sitting on the tip-top of the mast of a big ship.
2. figurative.
a. Highest pitch or degree; extreme height; acme.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > perfection > [noun] > peak of perfection
perfection1340
pointc1400
pinnaclec1450
firmament1526
tipe1548
vertical point1559
acmea1568
status1577
summity1588
sublimation1591
turret1593
topgallant1597
non ultra?1606
vertical1611
non plus ultra1647
ne ultraa1657
verticle1658
summit1661
ne plus ultra1664
ne plus1665
nonplus1670
tip-top1702
pink1720
sublime1748
eminencea1854
it1896
1702 S. Parker tr. Cicero Five Bks. De Finibus iv. 228 When a Wise Man is at the Tip-top of all Felicity, can he wish Things were better with him?
1747 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) XII. 83 The tip-top of all inconsistencies.
1794 J. O'Keeffe Wild Oats (new ed.) iii. i. 42 All on the tip-top of expectation.
1837 N. Hawthorne Twice-told Tales (1851) I. x. 171 I cry aloud to all and sundry..at the very tiptop of my voice.
b. singular and plural. People of the highest quality or rank (collectively); ‘grandees’, ‘swells’. ? Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person > collectively
(the) salt of the earthc950
tip-top1753
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > aristocracy or upper class > [noun] > member of > collectively
top people1752
tip-top1753
top1887
1753 School of Man 125 To figure among high company..this his marriage has done at once, and among the Tip Top.
1797 A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl V. iv. 106 The spark was kin to some of the tiptops of his own kindred.
1850 W. M. Thackeray Pendennis II. xxii. 222 We go here to the best houses, the tip tops, I tell you.
3. Angling. A line guide on a fishing-rod. North American.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > rod > [noun] > line-guide
tip-top1961
1961 Washington Post 5 Feb. c 6/6 A tiptop for flyrod and casting rod.
1971 Islander (Victoria, Brit. Columbia) 5 Sept. 5/3 Many cases of broken lines can be traced to cracks or nicks on a fishing rod's guides or tiptop.
B. adj.
Situated at the very top; very highest; almost always figurative of the highest quality or excellence; first-rate, prime, superlatively good; of persons, belonging to the highest rank or class.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
1722 Byrom Epil. Hurlothrumbo in Poems (1773) I. 215 Proud of your Smiles, he's mounted many a Story Above the tip-top Pinnacle of Glory.
1732 Tricks of Town 8 I have known a tip-top Physician sent for by an Express [etc.].
1755 T. Smollett tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote I. ii. iv. 61 He made carols for Christmas-eve, and plays for the Lord's-day..and every body said, that they were tip-top.
1825 Sporting Mag. 16 272 One hundred guineas, a tip-top price in those days.
1840 W. M. Thackeray Paris Sketch Bk. I. 42 Quite select, and frequented by the tip-top nobility.
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days ii. v. 322 He is in tip-top training.
1880 B. Disraeli Endymion I. xxi. 195 Our friend Ferrars seems in tiptop company.
C. adv.
In the highest degree, superlatively, extremely well.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adverb]
fairlyOE
goodlyc1275
finec1330
properlyc1390
daintily?a1400
thrivinglya1400
goodlily?1457
excellent1483
excellently1527
excellently1529
curiously1548
jollilyc1563
admirably1570
beautifully1570
singularly1576
bravelyc1600
famouslya1616
manlya1616
primely1622
prime1648
eximiously1650
topping1683
egregiously1693
purely1695
trimmingly1719
toppinglya1739
surprisingly1749
capitally1750
brawly1796
jellily18..
stammingly1814
divinely1822
stunningly1823
rippingly1828
jam up1835
out of sight1835
first-rately1843
first rate1844
like a charm1845
stunning1851
marvellously1859
magnificently1868
first class1871
splendidly1883
sterlingly1883
tip-top1888
like one o'clock1901
deevily1905
goodo1907
dandy1908
bonzer1914
great1916
juicily1916
corkingly1917
champion1925
unbeatably1928
snodger1946
beaut1953
smashingly1956
groovily1970
awesome1984
1888 F. R. Stockton Dusantes iii. 120 ‘That suits us tip-top, ma'am’, said the coxswain.
Compounds
tip-top-castle n. name of some boys' game.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > other children's games > [noun] > others
buckle-pit1532
marrowbone1533
put-pin?1577
primus secundus1584
fox in the hole1585
haltering of Hick's mare1585
muss1591
pushpin1598
Jack-in-the-box1600
a penny in the forehead1602
buckerels1649
bumdockdousse1653
peck-point1653
toro1660
wheelbarrow1740
thread-needle1751
thrush-a-thrush1766
runaway ring?1790
Gregory1801
pick-point1801
fighting cocks1807
runaway knock1813
tit-tat-toe1818
French and English1820
honeypots1821
roly-poly1821
tickle-tail1821
pottle1822
King of Cantland1825
tip-top-castle1834
tile1837
statue1839
chip stone1843
hen and chickens1843
king of the castle1843
King Caesar1849
rap-jacket1870
old witch1881
tick-tack-toe1884
twos and threes1896
last across (the road)1904
step1909
king of the hill1928
Pooh-sticks1928
trick or treat1928
stare-you-out1932
king of the mountain1933
dab cricket1938
Urkey1938
trick-or-treating1941
seven-up1950
squashed tomato1959
slot-racing1965
Pog1993
knights-
1834 T. Keightley Tales i. 12 He was a capital player at tip-top-castle.
tip-top-gallant adj. [after top-gallant] of superlatively high rank or quality.Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] > very excellent or first-rate
gildenc1225
prime1402
rare1483
grand1542
holy1599
pre-excelling1600
paregal1602
classic1604
of (the) first rate1650
solary1651
first rate1674
superb1720
tip-top1722
tip-top-gallant1730
swell1819
topping1822
of the first (also finest, best, etc.) water1826
No. 11829
brag1836
A11837
A No. 11838
number one1839
awful1843
bully1851
first class1852
class1867
champion1880
too1881
tipping1887
alpha plus1898
bonzer1898
grade A1911
gold star1917
world-ranking1921
five-star1936
too much1937
first line1938
vintage1939
supercolossal1947
top1953
alpha1958
fantabulous1959
beauty1963
supercool1965
world-class1967
primo1973
1730 J. Swift Vindic. Ld. C—— 37 I do not find how his E—— can be justly censured for favouring none but..Tip-top-gallon-men.
Derivatives
ˌtip-ˈtopmost adj. colloquial (a) highest; (b) best.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being the best > [adjective]
highestOE
bestOE
firstlOE
greatest?c1225
of the besta1350
premiera1500
paramount1530
supremec1550
supreme1571
primer1589
top1647
nulli secundus1742
bestest1751
first class1819
beatemest1831
par excellence1839
première1844
first rate1853
beatenest1860
blue ribbon1860
optimum1885
optimal1890
class A1906
all-star1908
grade A1911
five-star1931
mostest1936
tip-topmost1937
the end1950
the most1953
the world > space > relative position > high position > [adjective] > in highest position
highestOE
umestOE
overesta1325
upperestc1374
overmosta1382
supremec1487
upmost1488
uppermostc1500
highermost1593
top1595
topmost1697
headmost1758
culminant1849
tip-topmost1937
1937 G. Frankau More of Us ii. 26 Clashed home the gates. Slow to tip-topmost storey Groaned lift.
1960 Guardian 22 Apr. 8/5 All their tip-topmost British merchandise.
ˌtipˈtopness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > highest class of excellence
tiptoppishness1855
tiptopness1891
bollocks1981
1891 Boston Daily Globe 24 Mar. 5/2 The very topmost tiptopness of Harvard thought.
tip-ˈtopper n. a ‘tip-top’ person or thing; in quot. 1822, applied to a glass filled to the very top, a bumper.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person
gemc1275
blooma1300
excellence1447
mirrorc1450
man of mena1470
treasure?1545
paragon1548
shining light1563
Apollo's swan?1592
man of wax1597
rara avis1607
Titan1611
choice spirita1616
excellency1725
inestimable1728
inimitable1751
cock of the walk1781
surpasser1805
shiner1810
swell1816
trump1819
tip-topper1822
star1829
beauty1832
soarer1895
trumph1895
pansy1899
Renaissance man1906
exemplum virtutis1914
museum piece1920
superman1925
flyer1930
pistol1935
all-star1949
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person or thing
carbunclea1350
swanc1386
phoenixc1400
diamondc1440
broocha1464
surmounterc1500
sovereign?a1513
primrose peerless1523
superlative1577
transcendent1593
Arabian birda1616
crack1637
first rate1681
peach1710
phoenicle1711
admiration1717
spanker1751
first-raterc1760
no slouch of1767
nailer1806
tip-topper1822
ripper1825
ripstaver1828
apotheosis1832
clinker1836
clipper1836
bird1839
keener1839
ripsnorter1840
beater1845
firecracker1845
pumpkin1845
screamer1846
stunner1847
bottler1855
beaut1866
bobby-dazzler1866
one out of the box1867
stem-winder1875
corker1877
trimmer1878
hot stuff1884
daisy1886
jim-dandy1887
cracker1891
jim-hickey1895
peacherino1896
pippin1897
alpha plus1898
peacherine1900
pip1900
humdinger1905
bosker1906
hummer1907
good egg1914
superstar1914
the berries1918
bee's knee1923
the cat's whiskers1923
smash1923
smash hit1923
brahma1925
dilly1935
piss-cutter1935
killer1937
killer-diller1938
a hard act to follow1942
peacheroo1942
bitch1946
brammerc1950
hot shit1960
Tiffany1973
bollocks1981
the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > [noun] > amount of drink > brimming
brimmer1663
bumper?1670
swimmer1682
brusher1699
bumper toast1756
bumper dram1818
tip-topper1822
1822 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 11 89 So I think it but proper to fill a tip-topper Of Sherry to drink to the King.
1829 P. Egan Boxiana New Ser. II. 239 Some tip-toppers on the Corinthian list were witnessed getting over the ground as ‘gaily as larks’.
1843 W. M. Thackeray Ravenswing i, in Fraser's Mag. Apr. 472/1 One of the first swells on town, ma'am—a regular tip-topper.
1882 A. Edwardes Ballroom Repent. I. 243 Give me your operatic tip-toppers—Patti and Trebelli, or nothing.
tip-ˈtopping adj. [topping adj. and adv.] = B.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > surpassing excellence > [adjective]
sunderlyOE
noblec1330
precellentc1384
passantc1385
especialc1386
passinga1387
surmountingc1407
superlative?a1430
precelling?1435
pre-eminenta1460
outrepassed1477
divine1488
pre-excellenta1500
superexcellent1508
transcending1528
pre-ordinate1543
exceeding1552
superexcelling1554
exquisite1578
surpassingc1580
summary1587
paragon1593
transcendent1598
overmatchful1609
termless1609
overtoppinga1615
paramounta1626
overtowering1639
surpassant1654
transcendental1701
superior1711
towery1731
prize1739
supernala1817
tiptopsome1819
tip-topping1826
par excellence1839
superfine1850
towering1894
1826 in W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1827) II. 54 This is mostly with the tip-topping part [of people].
Categories »
tipˈtoppish adj.
tipˈtoppishness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > highest class of excellence
tiptoppishness1855
tiptopness1891
bollocks1981
1855 W. K. Kelly tr. M. de Cervantes Exemp. Novels 475 All she had told him of the merits, worth, beauty, modesty, and tiptoppishness..of her mistress, he quite believed.
tipˈtopsome adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > surpassing excellence > [adjective]
sunderlyOE
noblec1330
precellentc1384
passantc1385
especialc1386
passinga1387
surmountingc1407
superlative?a1430
precelling?1435
pre-eminenta1460
outrepassed1477
divine1488
pre-excellenta1500
superexcellent1508
transcending1528
pre-ordinate1543
exceeding1552
superexcelling1554
exquisite1578
surpassingc1580
summary1587
paragon1593
transcendent1598
overmatchful1609
termless1609
overtoppinga1615
paramounta1626
overtowering1639
surpassant1654
transcendental1701
superior1711
towery1731
prize1739
supernala1817
tiptopsome1819
tip-topping1826
par excellence1839
superfine1850
towering1894
1819 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 5 717 In the tiptopsomest degree.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.adj.adv.1702