tope: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/rareliterary/archaic (for drinking sense); technical/regional (for other senses)
Quick answer
What does “tope” mean?
to drink alcohol to excess, especially habitually.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to drink alcohol to excess, especially habitually
a Buddhist monument, typically a dome-shaped structure containing relics (stupa); a small grey shark (Galeorhinus galeus) of European waters; in historical contexts, to gamble heavily
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Virtually no usage in modern everyday speech in either variety. The architectural/religious term (stupa) is internationally used in art history/archaeology. The 'shark' sense is primarily a British/Irish regional fishing term.
Connotations
In UK historical/literary contexts, 'tope' as a verb carries a slightly quaint, Dickensian connotation. In US English, it is essentially unknown except in highly specialized academic texts.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties. The verb is obsolete; the noun 'tope' (shark) appears in some UK regional field guides.
Grammar
How to Use “tope” in a Sentence
Subject + tope (intransitive)Subject + tope + adverbial (e.g., 'he toped heavily')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tope” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old squire would tope port by the fire every evening.
- He's been toping at the club again.
American English
- Characters in 19th-century novels often tope in taverns.
- He was known to tope rather than dine.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival form.
American English
- No standard adjectival form.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Rarely in historical/literary studies for the verb; in archaeology/art history for the stupa.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Marine biology (for the shark); archaeology/religious studies (for the stupa).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tope”
- Using it in modern contexts.
- Confusing its different unrelated meanings.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is archaic and would sound strange in modern speech. Use 'drink heavily' or 'binge drink' instead.
It has no common modern meaning. Its specialized meanings are a type of shark and a Buddhist stupa, both used only in specific fields.
Historically, it was almost exclusively intransitive ('he toped'). Using it with a direct object is non-standard and rare.
Yes, 'toper' is the agent noun derived from the verb 'tope' and is similarly archaic.
to drink alcohol to excess, especially habitually.
Tope is usually literary/archaic (for drinking sense); technical/regional (for other senses) in register.
Tope: in British English it is pronounced /təʊp/, and in American English it is pronounced /toʊp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None in common usage”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a tipsy ANTELOPE (sounds like 'an-tope') drinking too much - that's a 'toping' antelope.
Conceptual Metaphor
DRINKING IS A RECKLESS ACTIVITY (in its archaic sense).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'tope' most likely to be found today?