top dressing
Americannoun
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a dressing of manure on the surface of land.
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the action of one who top-dresses.
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a top layer of gravel, crushed rock, etc., on a roadway.
noun
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a surface application of manure or fertilizer to land
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a thin layer of loose gravel that covers the top of a road surface
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of top dressing
First recorded in 1755–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Add a top dressing of compost and/or earthworm castings to give the plant an added boost.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2023
The soil will benefit from a little cultivation and a top dressing of compost or leaf mold, which is then scratched into the soil.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 29, 2021
That’s not considered a compost, that’s more a top dressing.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 10, 2021
A top dressing of evergreen branches kept the ice from melting until midsummer.
From Time Magazine Archive
Use of Salt with Guano.—Common salt at the rate of a bushel to 100 lbs. of guano, well mixed, may be used to good advantage either as a top dressing, or when plowed in.
From Guano A Treatise of Practical Information for Farmers by Solon Robinson
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