Showing definitions for tope

SEE ALSO

Pop Culture dictionary results for Tope

tope

¹ American  

[tohp] / toʊp /

verb (used without object)

toped, toping

1. to drink alcoholic liquor habitually and to excess.

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verb (used with object)

toped, toping

1. to drink (liquor) habitually and to excess.

tope ² American  

[tohp] / toʊp /

noun

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

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

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tope ³ American  

[tohp] / toʊp /

noun

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

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tope ¹ British  

/ təʊp /

noun

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

2. any of various other small sharks

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tope ² British  

/ təʊp /

verb

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

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tope ³ British  

/ təʊp /

noun

1. another name for a stupa

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Other Word Forms

• toper
  noun

Etymology

Origin of tope¹

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

Origin of tope²

First recorded in 1680–90; of unknown origin

Origin of tope³

First recorded in 1805–15; from Hindi ṭop; probably from Pali or Prakrit thūpo, from Sanskrit stūpa stupa ( def. )

Example Sentences

A range of other species, including tope and smooth-hound sharks often hunted for their meat, and gulper sharks targeted for their liver oil, were placed on Appendix II.

From Barron's • Nov. 28, 2025

The report said shark species including tope, starry smooth hound and spurdog live in the Thames and the there are more than 100 species of fish in the 215-mile long river.

From BBC • Nov. 10, 2021

It also monitors other native shark species like tope, smooth hound, porbeagle and thresher.

From BBC • Aug. 4, 2011

The tope consists of a stone basement ninety-three feet in diameter and solidly built of stone.

From Travels in the Far East by Peck, Ellen Mary Hayes

The Sikhs burnt theirs, while a large fatigue party of the Forty-Second and Ninety-Third was employed digging one long grave in a tope of trees not far from the camp.

From Reminiscences of the Great Mutiny 1857-59 Including the relief, siege, and capture of Lucknow, and the campaigns in Rohilcund and Oude by Forbes-Mitchell, William