Tope
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 A small, grey, European shark, Galeorhinus galeus, that has rough skin and a long snout.
- 2 A grove of trees. India
"1868?, James Grant, First Love and Last Love Concealed among the long rank grass of the mango tope the three lurkers watched the gate of the camp; but though many passcd out and in, the rider on the bay mare was not one of the number."
- 3 A mound-like Buddhist sepulchre, or memorial monument, often erected over a relic; a stupa.
- 4 A cannon (weapon). India, obsolete
"They found him strongly posted near the fortress of Deeg, in the midst of bogs, tanks, and topes, and formidably defended by artillery."
- 5 a dome-shaped shrine erected by Buddhists wordnet
- 1 To drink excessively; to get drunk. archaic
- 2 drink excessive amounts of alcohol; be an alcoholic wordnet
- 1 A surname.
Example
More examples"1868?, James Grant, First Love and Last Love Concealed among the long rank grass of the mango tope the three lurkers watched the gate of the camp; but though many passcd out and in, the rider on the bay mare was not one of the number."
Etymology
Alteration of obsolete top (“to drink”), as in top (off).
From Tamil.
Probably from Pali thūpa. Doublet of stupa.
Borrowed from Hindi तोप (top), which in turn is borrowed from Classical Persian توپ (tōp). Ultimately loaned from a Turkic word, which is derived from Proto-Turkic *top. Compare Turkish top.
Related phrases
More for "tope"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.