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

“Si pudiéramos tener un par de entrenamientos en los que estuviéramos concentrados a tope, divirtiéndonos, pero también con los ojos puestos en el premio”, dijo, “ay, hermano. Podríamos convertirnos en un monstruo”.

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2022

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

“Va a ser una temporada baja interesante que tomará maniobras y ajustes”, dijo Snead, hablando en general sobre la situación del tope en toda la liga antes del intercambio de jugadores.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2021

"You went ashore to a grave about a hundred yards inland, under a tope of trees, and alongside a high bank, to look for a locket round a dead man's neck?"

From In Strange Company A Story of Chili and the Southern Seas by Boothby, Guy Newell