On or at the upper surface or higher level, especially the deck of a ship or the upper part of something.
From Old English 'top' (highest point) and 'side' (surface or edge), combined as a compound word. Originally a nautical term for the upper decks of a ship.
Sailors developed their own colorful language, and 'topside' was the command to go up to the upper decks of a ship—it's still used in the Navy today, and the U.S.S. Iowa even named its advanced command center 'TOPSIDE' because everything important happens when you're on top.
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