ground vs top

ground

verb
  • To hit a ground ball. Compare fly (verb (regular)) and line (verb). 

  • To cover with a ground, as a copper plate for etching, or as paper or other materials with a uniform tint as a preparation for ornament. 

  • To connect (an electrical conductor or device) to a ground. 

  • To forbid (an aircraft or pilot) to fly. 

  • To found; to fix or set, as on a foundation, reason, or principle; to furnish a ground for; to fix firmly. 

  • To run aground; to strike the bottom and remain fixed. 

  • To place something on the ground. 

  • To improve or focus the mental or emotional state of. 

  • To punish, especially a child or teenager, by forcing them to stay at home and/or give up certain privileges. 

  • To give a basic education in a particular subject; to instruct in elements or first principles. 

noun
  • Basis, foundation, groundwork, legwork. 

  • Terrain. 

  • The pit of a theatre. 

  • A soccer stadium. 

  • Reason, (epistemic) justification, cause. 

  • The plain surface upon which the figures of an artistic composition are set. 

  • A flat surface upon which figures are raised in relief. 

  • An electrical conductor connected to the earth, or a large conductor whose electrical potential is taken as zero (such as a steel chassis). 

  • The area on which a battle is fought, particularly as referring to the area occupied by one side or the other. Often, according to the eventualities, "to give ground" or "to gain ground". 

  • The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground. 

  • One of the pieces of wood, flush with the plastering, to which mouldings etc. are attached. 

  • The bottom of a body of water. 

  • Background, context, framework, surroundings. 

  • The net of small meshes upon which the embroidered pattern is applied. 

  • A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to a varying melody. 

  • Advantage given or gained in any contest; e.g. in football, chess, debate or academic discourse. 

  • The area of grass on which a match is played (a cricket field); the entire arena in which it is played; the part of the field behind a batsman's popping crease where he can not be run out (hence to make one's ground). 

  • The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song. 

  • Soil, earth. 

  • A gummy substance spread over the surface of a metal to be etched, to prevent the acid from eating except where an opening is made by the needle. 

adj
  • Crushed, or reduced to small particles. 

  • Processed by grinding. 

top

verb
  • To strike (the ball) above the centre; also, to make (a stroke, etc.) by hitting the ball in this way. 

  • To anally penetrate in gay sex. 

  • To cut, break, or otherwise take off the top of (a steel ingot) to remove unsound metal. 

  • To commit suicide. 

  • To excel, to surpass, to beat, to exceed. 

  • To murder. 

  • To be in the lead, to be at number one position (of). 

  • To be the dominant partner in a BDSM relationship or roleplay. 

  • To cut or remove the top (as of a tree) 

  • To cover on the top or with a top. 

  • To improve (domestic animals, especially sheep) by crossing certain individuals or breeds with other superior breeds. 

  • To put a stiffening piece or back on (a saw blade). 

  • To raise one end of (a yard, etc.), making it higher than the other. 

  • To cover with another dye. 

  • To strike the top of (an obstacle) with the hind feet while jumping, so as to gain new impetus. 

adj
  • Situated on the top of something. 

  • Best; of the highest quality or rank. 

  • Very good, of high quality, power, or rank. 

adv
  • Rated first. 

noun
  • A garment worn to cover the torso. 

  • A stroke on the top of the ball. 

  • The highest or uppermost part of something. 

  • A top quark. 

  • A framework at the top of a ship's mast to which rigging is attached. 

  • A lid, cap or cover of a container. 

  • A plug, or conical block of wood, with longitudinal grooves on its surface, in which the strands of the rope slide in the process of twisting. 

  • the part of something that is usually the top. 

  • The first half of an inning, during which the home team fields and the visiting team bats. 

  • A forward spin given to the ball by hitting it on or near the top; topspin 

  • (A table at which there is, or which has enough seats for) a group of a specified number of people eating at a restaurant. 

  • A man penetrating or with a preference for penetrating during homosexual intercourse. 

  • A child’s spinning toy; a spinning top. 

  • The utmost degree; the acme; the summit. 

  • Highest pitch or loudest volume. 

  • The part of a cut gem between the girdle, or circumference, and the table, or flat upper surface. 

  • Oral stimulation of the male member, a blowjob. 

  • The uppermost part of a page, picture, viewing screen, etc. 

  • The near end of somewhere 

  • A bundle or ball of slivers of combed wool, from which the noils, or dust, have been taken out. 

  • A dominant partner in a BDSM relationship or roleplay. 

  • The highest rank; the most honourable position; the utmost attainable place. 

How often have the words ground and top occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )