top-hole

See also: top hole

English

Alternative forms

• top hole

Adjective

top-hole (comparative more top-hole, superlative most top-hole)

1. (chiefly UK, informal) Of very high quality, tip-top.
   • 1914, H. H. Munro, chapter 5, in When William Came:

     "I say, this is a top-hole omelette," said Ronnie.

   • 1916, Kathleen Norris, chapter 1, in The Heart of Rachael:

     "But Carol's different—she's square, she is; she's just top-hole—if you know what I mean—she's the finest ever," finished Miss Sartoris.

   • 1921, Ralph Connor, chapter 1, in To Him That Hath:

     "My word, old chap, that is top-hole tennis," said the Englishman, warmly congratulating him.

   • 1927, chapter 6, in Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter, transl., The Magic Mountain, translation of Der Zauberberg by Thomas Mann, page 528:

     He was top-hole in his line, he would soon put it right.

   • 1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest […], Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 4:

     ‘Out at Randolph Park, near the outstanding El Con Marriott,’ C.T. inserts, ‘a venue the whole contingent’s been vocal about finding absolutely top-hole thus far, which —’

Synonyms

• first rate, superb, top drawer, top-notch, topping

References

• “top-hole”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• pot hole, pot-hole, pothole, the Loop