tope

1
[ tohp ]

verb (used without object),toped, top·ing.
  1. to drink alcoholic liquor habitually and to excess.

verb (used with object),toped, top·ing.
  1. to drink (liquor) habitually and to excess.

Origin of tope

1
First recorded in 1645–55; of uncertain origin; perhaps a variant of obsolete top “to drink,” in phrase top off, formed on the model of tip off “to drink (a full helping) at a draught,” a special use of top “to tilt”; perhaps from tope, an interjection used in proposing a toast

Words Nearby tope

Other definitions for tope (2 of 3)

tope2
[ tohp ]

noun
  1. a small shark, Galeorhinus galeus, inhabiting waters along the European coast.

  2. any of various related sharks of small to medium size.

Origin of tope

2
First recorded in 1680–90; of unknown origin

Other definitions for tope (3 of 3)

tope3
[ tohp ]

noun
  1. (in Buddhist countries) a dome-shaped monument, usually for religious relics.

Origin of tope

3
First recorded in 1805–15; from Hindi ṭop; probably from Pali or Prakrit thūpo, from Sanskrit stūpa stupa

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tope in a sentence

  • The iora's cheerful calls still resound through the shady mango tope.

  • This theory became generally accepted, when suddenly Dr. Bird found a brass plate in a certain Kanara monument, called a tope.

    From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan | Helena Pretrovna Blavatsky
  • I kept on until the presence of villagers caused me to hide in the tope of trees whence I first saw you.

    The Great Mogul | Louis Tracy
  • The tope is a small shark found in tropical and temperate seas.

    Fast Nine | Alan Douglas
  • The color of the tope is gray above and whitish gray beneath.

    Fast Nine | Alan Douglas

British Dictionary definitions for tope (1 of 3)

tope1

/ (təʊp) /


verb
  1. to consume (alcoholic drink) as a regular habit, usually in large quantities

Origin of tope

1
C17: from French toper to keep an agreement, from Spanish topar to take a bet; probably because a wager was generally followed by a drink

Derived forms of tope

  • toper, noun

British Dictionary definitions for tope (2 of 3)

tope2

/ (təʊp) /


noun
  1. a small grey requiem shark, Galeorhinus galeus, of European coastal waters

  2. any of various other small sharks

Origin of tope

2
C17: of uncertain origin; compare Norfolk dialect toper dogfish

British Dictionary definitions for tope (3 of 3)

tope3

/ (təʊp) /


noun
  1. another name for a stupa

Origin of tope

3
C19: from Hindi tōp; compare Sanskrit stūpa stupa

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012