from top to bottom

English

Prepositional phrase

from top to bottom

1. (adjectival) In an exhaustive and pervasive manner.

   Synonyms: from head to toe, from stem to stern; see also Thesaurus:completely

   She's a born leader from top to bottom.

2. (adverbial) In the manner of conducting a remedy, search, or investigation (etc.) that is thorough and complete.

   Synonyms: completely, thoroughly, through and through

   They restored the car from top to bottom.

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see from,‎ top,‎ to,‎ bottom.

Usage notes

(syntax) Typically used on a postpositive basis.

Translations

Translations

Dutch: van top tot teen Finnish: läpikotaisin (fi), kauttaaltaan (fi) French: de fond en comble (fr) Italian: da cima a fondo Polish: od głowy do stóp Russian: све́рху до́низу (svérxu dónizu) Turkish: baştan aşağı (tr), tepeden tırnağa (tr) Ukrainian: згори́ дони́зу (zhorý donýzu), зве́рху дони́зу (zvérxu donýzu)

See also

• inside out
• top from the bottom

Further reading

• “from top to bottom”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “from top to bottom”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “from top to bottom” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “from top to bottom”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “from top to bottom” (US) / “from top to bottom” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.