top-off

American

[top-awf, -of] / ˈtɒpˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

noun

Australian Slang.

a person who informs on another, often as if by accident or as a joke.

top off British

verb

(tr, adverb) to finish or complete, esp with some decisive action

he topped off the affair by committing suicide

"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

top off Idioms

Fill a container, especially when it is almost full to begin with. For example, I don't need much gas; just top off the tank, please . [First half of 1900s]
Finish, especially in a spectacular way, as in They topped off their trip with a visit to the White House . [First half of 1800s]

Etymology

Origin of top-off

First recorded in 1940–45; noun use of verb phrase top off to inform (on someone)

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.

It didn’t save gas and more often than not it triggered panic buying, like the 12-cent top-off.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

This was just a top-off to hit its capex target and still have some cash left over.

From Barron's • Dec. 8, 2025

And if you’re in a rush, a 15-minute top-off will get you several hours of playback time.

From The Verge • Jun. 29, 2022

Engineers deliberately left the fuel tank accessible for a top-off by visiting spacecraft, if and when such technology becomes available.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 25, 2021

The fund is filled with gas tax receipts and the occasional top-off from the government’s regular coffers.

From Washington Post • Sep. 28, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023