Meaning: To sleep like a top is to sleep very soundly.
Background:
Tops, or more correctly spinning-tops, were popular amusements in the days
before children had access to toys requiring batteries. The British Museum
has on display tops from Egypt, dating from around 1250 BC. When a top is
spinning well the precessional effect causes its axis to remain stationary
and it can appear to be still, that is, 'sleeping'.
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- www.phrases.org.uk [edited]
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I fondly remember the spinning-top. We (me and my village mates) whittled a
piece of wood, often a length of a tree branch as thick as the forearm, at one
end into a dome, crosscut at about two inches above, augered a small opening
at the tip, and drove a steel bearing ball half-way in. The last two were the
critical steps and one shouldn't hurry.
There are many ways to kick off the spinning. With one hand, one grabs the toy
with his fingertips at the top, lowers it tip-down close to the ground, and jerks
the fingers clockwise, like tightening a screw, and releases it at the same time.
One can hold it between palms perpendicular to the ground and dart the hands in
the opposite directions. Another method that requires more skill is to wrap the
tail of the whip around the upper portion of the top and unleash it with one
lash. However it is done, the launch is followed up with some good flogging to
make it stable.
A new top rarely worked perfectly out of the gate. But we improved it over time,
kaizen style, mostly working on the tapering, shaving spots on the dome to make
it less wabbly. We painted it, oiled it to make it heavier, and carved
decorative grooves. It was a labor of love. A well-worn top started easily,
stayed still spinning, needed less whipping, and made its owner happy and proud.
These days, adults thrash at huge tops made of steel to get a good sweat and
maybe to relax something badly wound-up inside. Studies show that the top helps
in many ways, from improving motor skills to curing ADHD. I didn't know we had
any problems back then that needed fixing. We just had fun.
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