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.

tope

²

[ 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.

tope

³

[ tohp ]

noun

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

tope

¹

/ təʊp /

noun

1. a small grey requiem shark, Galeorhinus galeus, of European coastal waters
2. any of various other small sharks

tope

²

/ təʊp /

verb

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

tope

³

/ təʊp /

noun

1. another name for a stupa

Derived Forms

• ˈtoper, noun

Word History and Origins

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 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of tope¹

C17: of uncertain origin; compare Norfolk dialect toper dogfish

Origin of tope²

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

Origin of tope³

C19: from Hindi tōp; compare Sanskrit stūpa stupa

Example Sentences

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

According to MarineBio.org, tope sharks, which were first discovered in 1758, are "harmless to humans" often found near continental shelves.

From Fox News

While it is legal for anglers in English, Scottish and Welsh waters to catch them, it is illegal for tope sharks to be kept or brought back to shore.

From BBC

"British waters are home to a wide diversity of sharks with a number of coastal species such as smooth hound, tope and cat sharks often reported by beachgoers and water users," she said.

From BBC

"That lifted them and they looked more assured after that and showed what a tope side they are."

From BBC