topping

From Middle English toppyng; equivalent to top +‎ -ing.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtɑpɪŋ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɒpɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -ɒpɪŋ
• Hyphenation: top‧ping

topping

1. present participle and gerund of top

• topping cycle

topping (comparative more topping, superlative most topping)

1. (UK, informal, dated) Wonderful.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:excellent

   • 1919, Katherine Mansfield [pseudonym; Kathleen Mansfield Murry], “Pictures”, in Bliss and Other Stories, London: Constable & Company, published 1920, →OCLC, page 162:

     “My boy came home last night,” sang the waitress. “Oh, I say–how topping for you !” gurgled the cashier.

   • 1953, Roald Dahl, Galloping Foxley:

     'Well,' he said, settling back in the seat directly opposite. 'It's a topping day.'

2. (archaic) Assuming superiority; proud.
   • 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, 6th edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] J[ames] Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1727, →OCLC:

     A second Ground, upon which Men are apt to persuade themselves, that they shall escape the Stroke of Divine Justice for their Sins, is their Observation of the great and flourishing Condition of some of the topping Sinners of the World.

topping (plural toppings)

1. Any food item added on top of another, such as sprinkles on ice cream or pepperoni on pizza.
2. The act of cutting off the top of something.
3. (nautical) The act of raising one extremity of a spar higher than the other.
4. (nautical) Either of the cables that support the ends of a spar or boom.
5. (fishing) The tail of an artificial fly.

• (food item added on top): garnish

• top off
• topper-offer

Unadapted borrowing from English topping.

• IPA^(key): /ˈtopin/ [ˈt̪o.pĩn]
• Rhymes: -opin
• Syllabification: top‧ping

topping m (plural toppings)

1. topping (of food)

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.