top linen.adj.
/ˈtɒp lʌɪn/, U.S. /ˈtɑp ˌlaɪn/ (in senses A. 2, A. 4, and A. 5 also)Brit. /ˌtɒp ˈlʌɪn/, U.S. /ˌtɑp ˈlaɪn/ A. n.
1. Nautical.† a. Perhaps: a line or rope running to the top of a mast. Obsolete.
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1337–9 Naval Acct. in B. Sandahl Middle Eng. Sea Terms (1982) III. 119 (MED) De ij s. iij d. pro cordis emptis..per vices Anglice Lyne pro soundings et toppeline pro eadem.
1357–8 Pipe Roll, 32 Edward III (P.R.O.: E 372/203) m. 35/2v ij toppelynes..xij bastes..& ij boteropes.
b. A rope used to raise and lower the topmast; = top rope n. 1.
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > rigging > [noun] > fixed rigging > of topmast
top ropea1625
top line1841
1841 Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 10 July 4/3 (advt.) Vessel of 45 Tons Burden,..with Mast, Rigging, Sail Yard, Double Horse Line, new Trent Line, Top Line, Latch Block, pair of Man Ropes,..&c.
2012 A. J. Hoving N. Witsen & Shipbuilding in Dutch Golden Age ii. 119 Apart from the sheaves for the halyard, another sheave was often fitted in the knight for raising the topmasts and other objects, using the top line that ran to the capstan.
2. Music. The highest part in a part-song or other ensemble vocal piece; the treble or soprano line. Also more generally: the highest part in any piece of music, esp. where this is the main melody; the vocal line of a song, as distinct from the instrumental accompaniment.
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society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > vocal music > types of song > [noun] > part-song > a part in > highest part
top line1965
1836 I. Nathan Musurgia Vocalis (ed. 2) vi. 136 (caption) False progressions of Fifths resulting from a Tenor voice singing the top line which becomes the lowest part.
1954 G. Reese Music in Renaissance i. 16 The texture in which a vocal top line (or, as this part is interchangeably called, treble, superius, cantus, or discantus) is supported by a subordinate, instrumental tenor and contratenor.
1965 Listener 1 July 33/3 The top line could be sung by sopranos and altos in unison, while the baritones..could dodge from the bass line to the tenor line.
1973 Musical Times 114 1228/2 Cage has chosen to randomize that parameter which is freest of the almost palpable rhythmic structure.., namely the flowing vocal line (and the instrumental top line when the voice is silent).
2002 Music Perception 20 35 Results suggest that listeners can identify the sex of the choristers singing the top line with an average accuracy of approximately 60%.
2009 New Yorker 20 Apr. 100/2 Steward is generally responsible for ‘the track’—all the music beneath the vocals—and Nash writes the lyrics and the ‘top line’, the melody driving those words.
3.
a. The contour of the top of back of an animal, esp. a cow, horse, or dog.
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1869 Cultivator & Country Gentleman 28 Oct. 340/3 Great breadth of loin, hips and rump, top line slightly arched, and this with her too straight belly detract slightly from her general appearance.
1885 Wallace's Monthly Feb. 15/1 With strong, well-sloped shoulders, which at the withers harmonize beautifully with a slightly curved top-line.., he is..the very embodiment of power and endurance.
1925 Brown Swiss Bull. Sept. 74/2 Well-developed cows with good udders but with drooping rumps produce less milk and butterfat than cows with straight top lines.
1990 Dog World Aug. 186/2 The topline is straight with the tail well set on, plumed and curled over the back.
2009 F. Lynghaug Official Horse Breeds Standards Guide 438/2 Well muscled with good bone and substance, well sprung ribs, and level topline.
b. Dance. Esp. in ballroom dancing: the line created by the head, neck, shoulders, arms, and hands of a couple or an individual dancer.
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1967 J. J. Lewis Approach to Lighting Design from Mod. Dance (M.A. thesis, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison) ii. 10 Downlight pools provide dramatic accents along the top line of the dance—the shoulders, extended arms, etc.
2008 Lancs. Tel. (Nexis) 30 Sept. Gillian's top line was beautiful with good clear steps.
2019 J. Cunningham-Clayton & M. Fernandes Essent. Guide to Ballroom Dance vii. 127 The lady's left elbow must be at shoulder level or higher; it must not sag downwards, as it will spoil the top line.
4. The headline of a newspaper or the leading item on a theatrical bill; (by extension) the headline story or act. Cf. sense B. 1a.
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society > communication > journalism > journal > parts and layout of journals > [noun] > headline
headline1791
head1889
top line1906
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > [noun] > a performance > item in > bill of items > chief place on
top line1906
star billing1910
festival headliner1927
top billing1968
1885 Era 5 Dec. 24/1 The top line of the bill at the Star Music Hall this week is the name of Miss Jenny Hill, ‘the Vital Spark’.
1887 Northern Echo 14 Nov. 4/7 The top line must be in Large Hand (plain or ornamental), and ONE word only.
1928 Boston Evening Transcript 30 Mar. 15/6 This big ‘top line’ caught my eye: ‘The Pocasset filicide.’
1932 Derby Evening Tel. 21 Apr. 9/2 The top line of the bill in the Wednesday League world yesterday was the final of the Wednesday Cup on the Baseball Ground.
2006 C. Bird This is Charlie Bird (e-book ed.) iv ‘RTÉ understands that Charlie Haughey has been rescued from his yacht’ was the top line in the bulletin.
5. Business. The first line of a profit and loss account, showing total income before taxes, costs, etc., have been taken off; a company’s gross sales or revenues. Cf. bottom line n. 2b.
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society > trade and finance > management of money > keeping accounts > account or statement of > [noun] > account book > line
line1934
bottom line1973
1931 Financial Times 22 July 11/6 What do thos figures represent?—Those are the details of the £600,000 unpublished reserves shown on the top line.
1993 Canad. Business (Toronto) Mar. 92/1 We've grown the bottom line by 100%, while the top line has increased by 10% or 15%.
2015 Investors Chron. 2 Apr. 52/1 Management expects a strengthening US dollar to add about £150m to the top line next year.
B. adj. (in attributive use). Typically hyphenated.
1.
a. Designating a performer, act, attraction, etc., that is top of the bill for a theatrical or other show; of or relating to such a performer, etc. Also: that is the headline story in a newspaper, news broadcast, etc. Cf. sense A. 4.
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society > communication > journalism > journal > parts and layout of journals > [adjective] > relating to headline
headline1881
1880 Era 28 Mar. 9/1 The big-letter and top-line bill artists at the Star during the past week have been Messrs Canfield and Booker.
1922 A. Haddon Green Room Gossip vi. 138 His..duets with Miss Muriel George have reached a top-line position on the halls.
1928 Daily Express 31 July 13/7 The top-line contest on Saturday next is that between Jack Stanley of Deptford and Gipsey Daniels.
1958 New Statesman 23 Aug. 211/3 The Daily Mail has recently been the most persistent in putting news first in its public appeal and in tying its ‘top line’ features much more closely to it than most.
2007 Daily News (N.Y.) (Nexis) 8 June 54 (headline) Tonys draw top-line stars.
2020 Newstex Blogs (Nexis) 15 Oct. In this month's issue it is the resurgence of the pandemic that is one of the top-line stories of the month.
b. Of the highest quality, level, or rank; first-rate, top-notch.
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the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [noun] > that which is important > most important
moreOE
firstc1275
principala1393
chiefa1400
main chance1577
forefront1589
principal verb1602
centre of gravity1718
avatar1859
main stem1900
Big Apple1909
prima ballerina1923
centrepiece1937
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
1934 Sunday Dispatch 22 July 3/4 Ronald Gow's Embassy show is a good play, produced from the wrong angle... Gow will be a top-line writer, though, if he sticks to it.
1958 Punch 23 July 102/3 His agent..built up an image of this untalented scallywag as a top-line genius and hero-figure for millions.
1981 B. Healey Last Ferry from Lido i. 17 A real, top-line Venetian socialite.
2003 Sci. Amer. (U.K. ed.) Nov. 69/1 A device employed by most other top-line fighter jets to provide further roll authority at high dynamic pressures.
2. Business. Of or relating to the top line in a company's profit and loss account (see sense A. 5); relating to or concerned with gross sales or revenue. Cf. bottom line n. Compounds 1.
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1961 Financial Times 20 June 4/6 Our ‘top-line’ profits rose from £17,133 in 1958 to £22,423 in 1959.
1998 Chicago Tribune 22 Oct. iii. 5/1 Its stock was hammered because of concerns about the giant insurer's slower top-line growth.
2021 Daily Independent (Nigeria) (Nexis) 1 Dec. We are uniquely positioned to help companies..increase renewal rates, and ultimately top-line revenue growth.
Phrases
colloquial (originally Navy slang). on (the) top line: fully prepared or ready for action; at the top of one's game; (more generally) of the highest quality or level. Cf. sense B. 1b.to sweat on the top line: see sweat v. 9c.
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the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > in preparation [phrase] > in a state of preparation or readiness > in complete readiness
on the top line1916
1905 Daily Mail 10 Aug. 4/5 The admiral didn't like the ship, and 'e was always makin' rude signals to our ‘Old Man’ (captain), but we was on the top line with our torpedy work—though bein' a torpedo man myself I shouldn't say it.
1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin ix. 155 I've 'eard tell, too, that that there Kayser bloke o' theirs 'as gingered 'em up somethin' crool, an' a navy wot's been gingered up must be on th' top line same as us, mustn't it?
1945 D. Bolster Roll on my Twelve 59 Chiefie's still not satisfied that our boilers are on top line.
1958 Punch 9 July 57/3 The famous scene in which he has to serve both his masters with dinner at the same moment becomes a juggling turn on the top line.
1982 N.Z. Parl. Deb. 448 4852 That is why our credit remains on the top line.
2000 G. F. Douglas–Sherwood Gloss. Lighthouse Service Terminol. (Assoc. Lighthouse Keepers) On top line, a phrase indicating a station is fully prepared to commence work with a boat or tender, etc.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2022).
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n.adj.1337