topple

Related to topple: topple down, topple over

topple down

1. To lean or totter and fall down; to collapse. The strong winds caused a number of buildings in the city to topple down. Someone knocked into the old lady, and she toppled down on the sidewalk.
2. To cause someone or something to lean or totter and fall down; to cause someone or something to collapse. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "topple" and "down." The child toppled the blocks down with a kick. The performer lost control of his unicycle and toppled down a bunch of people in the audience.
See also: down, topple

topple from (something)

To tumble or plummet over the edge (of something tall). The weather vane came toppling from the roof during the storm. Please don't get so close to the edge—one strong gust of wind, and you'll go toppling from the cliffside!
See also: topple

topple off

1. To tumble or plummet over the edge (of something tall). The weather vane came toppling off the roof during the storm. Please don't get so close to the edge of that cliff—one strong gust of wind, and you'll go toppling off!
2. To cause someone or something to tumble or plummet over the edge (of something). In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "topple" and "off." Watch where you're walking—you nearly toppled that bucket off of the roof! He charged into the mutineer and toppled him off the boat.
See also: off, topple

topple off of (something)

1. To tumble or plummet over the edge (of something tall). The weather vane came toppling off of the roof during the storm. Please don't get so close to the edge—one strong gust of wind, and you'll go toppling off of the cliffside!
2. To cause someone or something to tumble or plummet over the edge (of something). In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "topple" and "off." Watch where you're walking—you nearly toppled that bucket off of the roof! He charged into the mutineer and toppled him off of the boat.
See also: of, off, topple

topple over

1. To lean or totter and fall over; to collapse. The strong winds caused a number of buildings in the city to topple over. Someone knocked into the old lady and she toppled over on the sidewalk.
2. To push or knock someone or something over from an upright position. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "topple" and "over." He ran right into a group of people and toppled them over. Please don't topple over my Lego castle! I spent all morning building it.
3. To fail or collapse. The company eventually toppled over under the weight of its staggering debt.
4. To defeat or ruin someone or some group. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "topple" and "over." The underdog team came from behind in the fourth quarter to topple over the returning champions. The tech company quickly toppled its competition over with its incredibly popular line of smartphones.
See also: over, topple
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

topple down

[for a stack of something] to crumple and fall down. The chimney toppled down in the earthquake. The woodpile toppled down during the night and scared us all to death.
See also: down, topple

topple off (of) something

 and topple from something
to fall off the top of something very tall. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Careful there! You might topple off of that wall. I didn't get too close to the edge, because I was afraid of toppling off. She toppled off the wall. The vase toppled from its shelf in the quake.
See also: off, topple

topple over

[for something very tall] to fall over. I was afraid that Jimmy's stack of blocks would topple over. The stack of books toppled over and ended up as a jumbled mess on the floor.
See also: over, topple

topple something down

to cause a stack of something to crumple and fall down. The earthquake toppled the chimney down. The hurricane toppled down the weakest buildings.
See also: down, topple
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • come a gutser
  • come a-cropper
  • come a cropper
  • be down to (one)
  • be down to somebody/something
  • be down to something
  • be down to (do something)
  • bog
  • bog down
  • bogged down
References in periodicals archive
'Neither we want to topple Sindh government nor had any role in recent developments,' said Rashidi while chairing a meeting of PML-F aimed at reviewing preparation for the local bodies polls in the province.
Efforts to topple Sindh govt stand frustrated
Shapps said those seeking to topple May had no single candidate they wished to replace her but that the group included both supporters and opponents of Brexit.
Divisions over May's future burst into open with plot to topple her
The period in which Morsi was accused of trying to topple the state included his full tenure as president of the state from June 2012 to July 2013.
Court says Morsi was spy for Iran
Albino Akol supported his conclusion with the aforementioned premises to caution Garang Mabior not to be excited to topple Khartoum regime in 2 years.
The rebels should look for another leader
-Var of a group of man trying to topple down a bull
Man comes to full nelson as he tries to keep bull
"Saudi Arabia planned to stage a coup in Yemen similar to what it aided to happen in Egypt in a move to topple Yemeni President Mansur Hadi and replace him with one of the Yemeni generals loyal to ousted dictator Ali Abdullah Salih, but this coup plot failed before it could be put into action," an informed source in Yemen's army told FNA on the condition of anonymity.
Source: Saudi Coup Attempt to Topple Yemeni President Fails
Imagine that the dancer begins to topple to the right from a balanced retire position.
The physics of toppling and regaining balance during a pirouette
"The international community needs to cause people in Iran to believe that they can topple their government.
Peres to Iranians: Rise Up Against Ahmadinejad
Summary: An article entitled "Hariri: Opposition will not seek to topple government," from Thursday's edition of The Daily Star Quoted opposition leader Saad Hariri as saying the opposition would not seek to topple the government.
Correction
"Syria has been rising up for 100 days, with activity and a spreading slogan: 'The people want to topple the regime.' Under pressure of the protests, the authorities offered, though belatedly, a package of reforms, the most important of which is the possibility of amending the constitution," Sayyegh said in his column on Friday.
Syria-democracy
Manama A Bahraini court has sentenced eight senior opposition leaders to life in prison for their alleged role in plotting to topple the political regime.
Opposition leaders get life in jail
Syrian forces injure scores of people when they fired at 7,000 demonstrators who marched overnight in the eastern city of Deir Al-Zor to topple a statue of late President Hafez Al-Assad.
SYRIA - June 5 - Syrian Forces Injure Scores Trying To Topple Statue
Are we there to rescue people or to topple a dictator?
What exactly is the aim of our game in Libya?
Mersel Biljali says that these protests send a signal that the social discontent might topple the Government although it shows unseen arrogance.
The mayhem-danger to the government
Some of the volunteers who took part in the attempt had to topple two mattresses, meaning their effort was disqualified.
Record put to bed; World attempt is disqualified but staff vow to try again