TOPPLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does topple mean? 

• TOPPLE (verb)
  The verb TOPPLE has 2 senses:

1. fall down, as if collapsing

2. cause to topple or tumble by pushing

  Familiarity information: TOPPLE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TOPPLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they topple    ... he / she / it topples   
Past simple: toppled   
Past participle: toppled   
-ing form: toppling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fall down, as if collapsing

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

topple; tumble

Context example:

The tower of the World Trade Center tumbled after the plane hit it

Hypernyms (to "topple" is one way to...):

come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "topple"):

keel over (turn over and fall)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cause to topple or tumble by pushing

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

tip; topple; tumble

Hypernyms (to "topple" is one way to...):

force; push (move with force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

The boat lost headway, and, as we lifted on a huge surge, toppled and fell into the trough.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

There were slates and bricks piled up on the roof preparatory to some repairs, and they would have me believe that the wind had toppled over one of these.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At last he fell, toppling backward, exhausted; and the bull-dog promptly shifted his grip, getting in closer, mangling more and more of the fur- folded flesh, throttling White Fang more severely than ever.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The coracle, left to herself, turning from side to side, threaded, so to speak, her way through these lower parts and avoided the steep slopes and higher, toppling summits of the wave.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The others lay on their faces to avoid the deadly hail, while at each side of the plateau a fringe of bowmen exchanged shots with the slingers and crossbowmen among the rocks, aiming mainly at those who had swarmed up the cliffs, and bursting into laughter and cheers when a well-aimed shaft brought one of their opponents toppling down from his lofty perch.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was not a trifling business to get the great umbrella up, and properly balanced in her grasp; but at last I successfully accomplished this, and saw it go bobbing down the street through the rain, without the least appearance of having anybody underneath it, except when a heavier fall than usual from some over-charged water-spout sent it toppling over, on one side, and discovered Miss Mowcher struggling violently to get it right.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

His seconds were on him instantly, and propped him up in a sitting position, his head rolling helplessly from one shoulder to the other, and finally toppling backwards with his chin pointed to the ceiling.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he toppled backwards he had loosed the spring, and the huge beam of wood, swinging round with tremendous force, cast the corpse of his comrade so close to the English ship that its mangled and distorted limbs grazed their very stern.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There would be a fleeting glimpse of the three men flinging water in frantic haste, when she would topple over and fall into the yawning valley, bow down and showing her full inside length to the stern upreared almost directly above the bow.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

None could seem more safe and secure and at her ease than this lady, yet here also was a symbol of human life, for in an instant, even as Alleyne reined aside to let the carriage pass, a wheel flew out from among its fellows, and over it all toppled—carving, tapestry and gilt—in one wild heap, with the horses plunging, the postilion shouting, and the lady screaming from within.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)