art of sails, to prevent their
chafing against the top-rim. Also, a platform of thin board nailed upon
the upper part of the cross-trees on a vessel's top.

TOP-MAST. The second division of a mast above the deck. (_See_ MAST.)

TOP-MAUL. A large hammer used to start the top-mast fid, and to beat
down the top, when setting up topmast-rigging.

TOP-MEN. Selected smart seamen stationed in the several tops, to attend
the taking in or setting of the upper sails.

TOP-NETTINGS. _See_ TOP.

TOPPING. Pretentious; as, topping the officer; also, fine, gallant, &c.

TOPPING-LIFTS. Those lifts which support a spar, davit, &c.

TOP-RAIL. A rail supported on stanchions across the after-part of each
of a ship's tops.

TOP-RIDERS. _See_ UPPER FUTTOCK-RIDERS.

TOP RIM OR BRIM. The circular sweep of the fore part of a vessel's top,
and covering in the ends of the cross-trees and trestle-trees, to
prevent their chafing the top-sail.

TOP-ROPE. The mast-rope employed to sway up a top-mast or
topgallant-mast, in order to fix it in its place, or lower it. The
top-rope is rove through a block which is hooked on one side of the cap,
and passing through the sheave-hole of the mast, is brought upwards on
the opposite side, and fastened to an eye-bolt in the foremost part of
the cap. To the lower end of the top-mast top-rope a tackle is fixed.
(_See_ TOP-TACKLE.) "Swaying on all top-ropes;" figuratively, "going the
whole hog" in joviality or any trickery.

TOP-SAIL HAUL! OR MAIN-TOPSAIL HAUL! When the main-sail is not set, this
is the order given to haul the after-yards round when the ship is nearly
head to wind in tacking.

TOP-SAILS. The second sails above the decks, extending across the
top-masts, by the topsail-yards above, and by the lower yards beneath,
being fastened to the former by earings and robands, and to the latter
by the topsail-sheets, which, passing through two great blocks or cheeks
fixed on its extremities, and thence to two other blocks fixed on the
inner part of the yard close by the mast, lead downwards to the
deck.--_Paying debts with flying top-sails_, or _with a flying
fore-topsail_, is leaving them unpaid. Vessels not having topsail-yards
rigged aloft, set top-sails flying, as cutters, yachts, schooners, &c.

TOPSAIL-SCHOONER. Is full schooner-rigged, but carries a square-topsail
on the fore-mast; the fore-sail not bent, but set as a square-sail. She
may also carry a main-topsail, and is then termed a two-