Topping \Top"ping\, n. 1. The act of one who tops; the act of cutting off the top. 2. (Naut.) The act of raising one extremity of a spar higher than the other. 3. pl. That which comes from hemp in the process of hatcheling. {Topping lift} (Naut.), a large, strong tackle employed to raise or top the end of a gaff, or of a boom.