top dog
noun
1.
a person, group, or nation that has acquired a position of highest authority.
2.
the winner of a competition or rivalry; champion:
He was determined to be top dog at the swimming meet.
3.
Animal Behavior.
the alpha male or alpha female in a dominance hierarchy.
Origin
1885-1900
Related forms
top-dog,
adjective
Examples from the web for
top dog
Coyotes became
top dog
, filling the wolf's ecological niche.
Though this species is formidable it's not the
top dog
in the neighborhood.
She went from being
top dog
to pretty low on the totem pole.
Pinning the dog to the ground and growling at him so that you can show your
top dog
.
The new
top dog
, our early party guest, had emerged from nowhere.
If you're not
top dog
you have to keep an eye out for him.
No question about it, though: the sneaker is
top dog
this summer.
British Dictionary definitions for
top dog
top dog
noun
1.
(
informal
) the leader or chief of a group
Slang definitions & phrases for
top dog
top dog
noun phrase
The most important person; the chief;
boss
: Who's top dog around this place?
(1900+)
Idioms and Phrases with
top dog
top dog
see:
top banana