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My Celine Posted 21 years ago
Vocabulary

on the top of / on top of

I'd like to ask if there is any difference betwee them?

E.g.: I put my money on the top of the shelf.

E.g.: I put my money on top of the shelf.
  

Top answer

Hello My Celine I've taken this explanation from an earlier post by Mister Micawber: ' On (the) top of the mountain/building/bookcase/Christmas tree' -- both seem to apply to equally well to vertical physical objects. ' On top of everything else/the rest of my problems/all his other idiosyncrasies'-- only this form seems to work with metaphorical tops. ' On the top of the paper/ the label' -- these seem to take only 'the top', when we mean the upper edge ('on top of' the paper would be anywhere on the upper face).

— MrPedantic

  • Hello My Celine I've taken this explanation from an earlier post by Mister Micawber: ' On (the) top of the mountain/building/bookcase/Christmas tree' -- both seem to apply to equally well to vertical physical objects.
  • ' On top of everything else/the rest of my problems/all his other idiosyncrasies'-- only this form seems to work with metaphorical tops.
  • ' On the top of the paper/ the label' -- these seem to take only 'the top', when we mean the upper edge ('on top of' the paper would be anywhere on the upper face).
  • Which leads me to the secret (maybe): 'the top' is a physical part of the structure, while 'top' is a location, either literal or figurative, perhaps idiomatic.
  • They are often in the same place, so that either phrase works; but occasionally they are not.
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4 Answers
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Hello My Celine

I've taken this explanation from an earlier post by Mister Micawber:
'On (the) top of the mountain/building/bookcase/Christmas tree' -- both seem to apply to equally well to vertical physical objects.

'On top of everything else/the rest of my problems/all his other idiosyncrasies'-- only this form seems to work with metaphorical tops.
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No difference, but we ususally just say "on top of the shelf".
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I found this forum through google while trying to figure out what Rufus Wainwright wants to say when he sings
Didn't realize you were so top of the shelf
I thought that "to be top of the shelf" was an idiom, but it's not in any dictionary I've tried.

Thanks for any help.

Jan
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AnonymousI found this forum through google while trying to figure out what Rufus Wainwright wants to say when he sings
Didn't realize you were so top of the shelf
I thought that "to be top of the shelf" was an idiom, but it's not in any dictionary I've tried.

Thanks for any help.

Jan

Hello Jan

"Top of the she
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