Sub vs. Top — What's the Difference?

A submarine

The highest or uppermost point, part, or surface of something

A subscription

A lid, cover, or cap

A substitute, especially in a sporting team

The highest or most important rank, level, or position

A subeditor

A garment covering the upper part of the body and worn with a skirt, trousers, or shorts

An advance or loan against expected income

The end of something that is furthest from the speaker or a point of reference

Replace or be replaced; substitute

Short for topspin

Lend or advance a sum to (someone) against expected income

A bundle of long wool fibres prepared for spinning.

Subedit

One of six flavours of quark.

(Nautical) A submarine.

A man who takes the active role in anal intercourse with another man.

A submarine sandwich.

A conical, spherical, or pear-shaped toy that with a quick or vigorous twist may be set to spin.

A substitute.

Used in names of top shells, e.g. strawberry top.

To act as a substitute

Highest in position, rank, or degree

To put or use (a person or thing) as a substitute

Furthest away from the speaker or a point of reference

Usage Problem To replace; substitute

Exceed (an amount, level, or number); be more than

A submarine.

Provide with a top or topping

A submarine sandwich: a sandwich made on a long bun.

Reach the top of (a hill or other elevation)

(informal) A substitute, often in sports or teaching.

Kill

A subscription: a payment made for membership of a club, etc.

Mishit (the ball or a stroke) by hitting above the centre of the ball

A subtitle.

At the most

A subroutine (sometimes one that does not return a value, as distinguished from a function, which does).

The uppermost part, point, surface, or end

(colloquial) A subeditor.

The part farthest from a given reference point

(colloquial) A subcontractor.

The crown of the head

(slang) A subwoofer.

The part of a plant, such as a rutabaga, that is above the ground.

A submissive.

Something, such as a lid or cap, that covers or forms an uppermost part.

A subordinate.

A garment worn on the upper half of the body.

A subaltern.

(Nautical) A platform enclosing the head of the lower section of a mast of a square-rigged vessel, to which the topmast shrouds are attached.

A subscription (or (by extension) a subscriber) to an online channel or feed.

The highest degree, pitch, or point; the peak, acme, or zenith

(colloquial) Subsistence money: part of a worker's wages paid before the work is finished.

The highest position or rank

(internet slang) subreddit

A person in this position.

To substitute for.

(Games) The highest card or cards in a suit or hand.

To work as a substitute teacher, especially in primary and secondary education.

The best part.

To replace (a player) with a substitute.

The earliest part or beginning

Less commonly, and often as sub on, to bring on (a player) as a substitute.

(Baseball) The first half of an inning.

(British) To perform the work of a subeditor or copy editor; to subedit.

A stroke that lands above the center of a ball, as in golf or tennis, giving it a forward spin.

To subtitle (usually a film or television program).

A forward spin on a ball resulting from such a stroke.

To lend.

(Slang) One who penetrates the other person or is the dominant partner in a sexual encounter or relationship.

To subscribe.

A toy having one end tapered to a point, allowing it to be spun, as by suddenly pulling a string wound around it.

(BDSM) To take a submissive role.

Situated at the top

To coat with a layer of adhering material; to planarize by means of such a coating.

Of the highest degree, quality, rank, or amount

(microscopy) To prepare (a slide) with a layer of transparent substance to support and/or fix the sample.

In a position of preeminence

Under.

To form, furnish with, or serve as a top

A subordinate; a subaltern.

To reach or go over the top of

A shortened form of submarine, the boat.

To exceed or surpass

A shortened form of submarine sandwich; also called hero, hero sandwich, and grinder.

To be at the head of

A large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States

To remove the top or uppermost part from; crop

A submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes

To strike the upper part of (a ball), giving it forward spin.

Be a substitute;

To make (a stroke) in this way.

To make a finish, an end, or a conclusion.

The highest or uppermost part of something.

(irrespective of present orientation) the part of something that is usually the top.

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

A lid, cap or cover of a container.

A garment worn to cover the torso.

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

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

(archaic) The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.

The near end of somewhere

A child’s spinning toy; a spinning top.

(heading) Someone who is eminent.

(archaic) The chief person; the most prominent one.

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

(BDSM) A dominant partner in a BDSM relationship or roleplay.

(gay slang) A man penetrating or with a preference for penetrating during homosexual intercourse.

Oral stimulation of the male member, a blowjob.

(particle physics) A top quark.

The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.

(ropemaking) 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.

(sound) Highest pitch or loudest volume.

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

(obsolete, except in one sense of phrase on top of) Eve; verge; point.

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

Topboots.

A stroke on the top of the ball.

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.

To cover on the top or with a top.

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

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

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

To commit suicide.

To murder.

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

To anally penetrate in gay sex.

(archaic) To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower.

(archaic) To excel; to rise above others.

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

(dyeing) To cover with another dye.

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

To arrange (fruit, etc.) with the best on top.

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

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

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

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

Situated on the top of something.

(informal) Best; of the highest quality or rank.

(informal) Very good, of high quality, power, or rank.

Rated first.

A child's toy, commonly in the form of a conoid or pear, made to spin on its point, usually by drawing off a string wound round its surface or stem, the motion being sometimes continued by means of a whip.

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

The highest part of anything; the upper end, edge, or extremity; the upper side or surface; summit; apex; vertex; cover; lid; as, the top of a spire; the top of a house; the top of a mountain; the top of the ground.

The utmost degree; the acme; the summit.

The highest rank; the most honorable position; the utmost attainable place; as, to be at the top of one's class, or at the top of the school.

The chief person; the most prominent one.

The crown of the head, or the hair upon it; the head.

The head, or upper part, of a plant.

A platform surrounding the head of the lower mast and projecting on all sudes. It serves to spead the topmast rigging, thus strengheningthe mast, and also furnishes a convenient standing place for the men aloft.

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

Eve; verge; point.

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

Top-boots.

A stroke on the top of the ball.

To rise aloft; to be eminent; to tower; as, lofty ridges and topping mountains.

To predominate; as, topping passions.

To excel; to rise above others.

To strike a ball above the center.

To rise at one end, as a yard; - usually with up.

To cover on the top; to tip; to cap; - chiefly used in the past participle.

To rise above; to excel; to outgo; to surpass.

To rise to the top of; to go over the top of.

To take off the or upper part of; to crop.

To perform eminently, or better than before.

To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.

To cover with another dye; as, to top aniline black with methyl violet to prevent greening and crocking.

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

To arrange, as fruit, with the best on top.

To strike the top of, as a wall, with the hind feet, in jumping, so as to gain new impetus; - said of a horse.

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

To raise one end of, as a yard, so that that end becomes higher than the other.

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

To strike (the ball) above the center; also, to make (as a stroke) by hitting the ball in this way.

The upper part of anything;

The highest or uppermost side of anything;

The top point of a mountain or hill;

The first half of an inning; while the visiting team is at bat;

The highest level or degree attainable;

The greatest possible intensity;

Platform surrounding the head of a lower mast

A conical child's plaything tapering to a steel point on which it can be made to spin;

Covering for a hole (especially a hole in the top of a container);

A garment (especially for women) that extends from the shoulders to the waist or hips;

A canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance;

Go beyond;

Pass by, over, or under without making contact;

Be at the top of or constitute the top or highest point;

Be ahead of others; be the first;

Provide with a top;

Reach or ascend the top of;

Strike (the top part of a ball in golf, baseball, or pool) giving it a forward spin

Cut the top off;

Be the culminating event;

Finish up or conclude;

Situated at the top or highest position;

Not to be surpassed;