# topping

Pronunciation: say "TOP-ing" US /ˈtɑpɪŋ/, UK /ˈtɒpɪŋ/

## Noun

1. Any edible item placed on top of another to add flavor, texture, or decoration.
   - Simple: Food you put on top of another food to add flavor or make it look nice.
   - _The pizza arrived loaded with every topping the menu offered._
   - _A crunchy topping of toasted nuts finished the dessert._
3. The act of cutting off the upper part of something.
   - Simple: Cutting off the top part of something, such as a plant or tree.
   - _The topping of the fruit trees encouraged bushier growth the next spring._
   - _Residents criticized the heavy topping of the old oaks along the avenue._
4. An operation in which one end of a ship's spar is lifted above the other.
   - Simple: Raising one end of a ship's long pole higher than the other end.
   - _The topping of the spar was needed before the cargo could be loaded._
   - _The crew handled the topping of the boom with the lift tackle._
5. On a ship, one of the two cables by which the ends of a spar or boom are held up.
   - Simple: One of the ropes that hold up the ends of a ship's pole.
   - _She checked the topping before the boom was raised._
   - _The topping snapped under the strain of the sudden gale._
6. The tail of an artificial fly used in fishing.
   - Simple: The tail part of a fake fly used in fishing.
   - _She trimmed the topping so the fly would sit correctly on the water._
   - _A golden pheasant feather formed the topping of the salmon fly._

## Verb

2. Present participle of top. — present participle and gerund of top
   - Simple: Present participle of top. Use this form for something happening right now.
   - _The chef is topping each plate with a drizzle of sauce._
   - _Crews are topping the trees to keep them clear of the power lines._

## Adjective

7. Wonderful; first-rate. *(dated, UK)*
   - Simple: Very good or excellent.
   - _The whole party agreed it had been a topping evening._
   - _What a topping little motor car you've bought!_
8. Behaving as if superior to others; proud and overbearing. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: Acting proudly as if you are better than other people.
   - _The squire's topping airs won him few friends in the village._
   - _She found his topping tone insufferable throughout dinner._

## Origin

From Middle English toppyng, equivalent to top plus the suffix -ing.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/topping (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).