top-dress

verb

variants or topdress or top dress
top-dressed or topdressed or top dressed; top-dressing or topdressing or top dressing; top-dresses or topdresses or top dresses

transitive verb

: to apply material to (something, such as a road) without working it in
The unit can also be used to spread crushed rock in layers up to 12 cm thick for top-dressing roads.The Mining Journal
especially : to scatter or apply amendments (such as compost) over (soil or land)
If you are a religious composter, you can just top-dress your beds and borders with the contents of your bin. Craig Summers Black
Topdressing the acidic soils with the organic matter raises the pH and allows for vegetation to return. Gretchen Leslie

Examples of top-dress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In future years, top-dress the bed instead of disturbing it again. Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'top-dress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1733, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of top-dress was in 1733

Dictionary Entries Near top-dress

Cite this Entry

“Top-dress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top-dress. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

top-dress

verb
-ˌdres
: to apply material to (as land or a road) without working it in
especially : to scatter fertilizer over (land)
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