最上面那一個＝最好
最直接的讀法：站在最上面的那個，就是最好的那個。
adjective · B2
The very best of its kind, or the most popular. It is an older, informal way of speaking, and it usually comes after be, or after words like voted and rated.
最棒的、第一名的
核心畫面
Think of a pile with one thing sitting on the very top of it. That top spot can be read in two ways: it is the best thing in the pile, and it is also as high as the pile goes. Both uses of the word take one of those two readings, and the position in the sentence tells you which.
tops 可以想成「一疊東西，最上面那一個」。最上面這個位置有兩種讀法：它是這疊裡最好的一個，同時也是這疊的高度極限…更多收起
tops 可以想成「一疊東西，最上面那一個」。最上面這個位置有兩種讀法：它是這疊裡最好的一個，同時也是這疊的高度極限。這個字的兩個意思，各拿走其中一種讀法；至於是哪一種，看它在句子裡站的位置就知道。From the word’s history
Wiktionary gives the origin, hedged, as likely top plus a colloquial -s — not the plural or verb ending it looks like.
Wiktionary 用了「很可能」這個保留的說法：tops 大概是 top 加上一個帶口語味道的 -s，不是它看起來的那個名詞複數或動詞字尾。
Wiktionary entries for “tops” (adv/adj), etymology note (kaikki extract supplied in the evidence packet)
Two branches
最上面那條線＝上限
換一種讀法：最上面不是「最好」，而是「就到這裡為止」——一條天花板。這是理解上的連結，不是說一個意思是從另一個變出來的。
r · B2
Put after an amount to say that this is the very most it could be, and that it will probably be less.
最多、頂多
原始詞典資料7 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
topsadv/tɒps/
- 1
informalAt the very most; as a maximum.
- Your essay should be two pages, tops.
topsadj/tɒps/
- 1
datedslangGreat; excellent.
- This is tops for a musical. Popular with the audience.
- Everyone who has ever eaten a torte loves it. It is tops in the dessert field.
topsnoun/tɒps/
- 1
dartsgamesThe uppermost field of a dartboard; the double-20 field
- Scoring 38 more points leaves him with tops for the win.
這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。