topline means the upper curvature of a horse's or dog's withers, back, and loin. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Etymology
From top + line.
noun
- The upper curvature of a horse's or dog's withers, back, and loin.“When viewing the horse in profile, attention must be paid to the curvature and proportions of the topline.”
- Top billing.“In recent weeks Cosby has, perhaps more than any other topline entertainer of the moment, been both at the pinnacle and at the crossroads.”
- The first line, the topmost-ranking line; the most important thing.“Near-synonyms: (in attributive uses) TLDR, BLUF, bottom-line, bottom line”
- The edge that runs along the top of the opening of a shoe.
- The vocal parts of a piece of music (particularly pop).
verb
- To bill (a performer) as the primary entertainer in a production.“A popular series of musical shorts he made for Mack Sennett's company in 1930 added to his success as a radio vocalist, and had made him a star by the end of 1931, when Paramount toplined him in The Big Broadcast […]”
- To be billed as the primary entertainer in (a production).“[Whitney] Houston's success in music led her to topline the features "Waiting to Exhale," "The Preacher's Wife" and the telefilm "Cinderella."”
- (music) To compose and/or sing the vocal part of a song (particularly pop).