Tophet
(To"phet) n. [Heb. tophet, literally, a place to be spit upon, an abominable place, fr. tuph to
spit out.] A place lying east or southeast of Jerusalem, in the valley of Hinnom. [Written also Topheth.]
And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom.
2 Kings xxiii. 10. It seems to have been at first part of the royal garden, but it was afterwards defiled and polluted by the
sacrifices of Baal and the fires of Moloch, and resounded with the cries of burning infants. At a later
period, its altars and high places were thrown down, and all the filth of the city poured into it, until it
became the abhorrence of Jerusalem, and, in symbol, the place where are wailing and gnashing of
teeth.
The pleasant valley of Hinnom, Tophet thence
And black Gehenna called, the type of hell.
Milton. Tophin
(Toph"in) n. (Min.) Same as Toph.
Tophus
(To"phus) n.; pl. Tophi [NL.: cf. F. tophus a mineral concretion in the joint. See Toph.] [Written
also tofus.]
1. (Med.) One of the mineral concretions about the joints, and in other situations, occurring chiefly in
gouty persons. They consist usually of urate of sodium; when occurring in the internal organs they are
also composed of phosphate of calcium.
2. (Min.) Calcareous tufa.
Topiarian
(Top`i*a"ri*an) a. [See Toplary.] Of or pertaining to the ornamental cutting and trimming of
trees, hedges, etc.; practicing ornamental gardening. [R.] "The topiarian artist." Sir W. Scott.
All the pedantries of the topiarian art.
C. Kingsley. Topiary
(Top"i*a*ry) a. [L. topiarius belonging to ornamental gardening, fr. topia (sc. opera) ornamental
gardening, fr. Gr. a place.] Of or pertaining to ornamental gardening; produced by cutting, trimming,
etc.; topiarian.
Topiary work, arbors, shrubbery, hedges, or the like, cut and trimmed into fanciful forms, as of animals,
buildings, etc.
Topic
(Top"ic) n. [F. topiques, pl., L. topica the title of a work of Aristotle, Gr. topika`, fr. topiko`s of
or for place, concerning to`poi, or commonplaces, fr. to`pos a place.] (a) One of the various general
forms of argument employed in probable as distinguished from demonstrative reasoning, — denominated
by Aristotle to`poi as being the places or sources from which arguments may be derived, or to which
they may be referred; also, a prepared form of argument, applicable to a great variety of cases, with a
supply of which the ancient rhetoricians and orators provided themselves; a commonplace of argument
or oratory. (b) pl. A treatise on forms of argument; a system or scheme of forms or commonplaces of
argument or oratory; as, the Topics of Aristotle.
These topics, or loci, were no other than general ideas applicable to a great many different subjects,
which the orator was directed to consult.
Blair.
In this question by [reason] I do not mean a distinct topic, but a transcendent that runs through all topics.
Jer. Taylor. 2. An argument or reason. [Obs.]
Contumacious persons, who are not to be fixed by any principles, whom no topics can work upon.
Bp.
Wilkins.
