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What is "top-hamper"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
Top-hamper

Top-hamper \Top"-ham`per\, n. (Naut.) The upper rigging, spars, etc., of a ship. [Written also top hamper.]

All the ships of the fleet . . . were so encumbered with tophamper, so overweighted in proportion to their draught of water, that they could bear but little canvas, even with smooth seas and light and favorable winds.
--Motley.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
top-hamper

1791, originally the upper masts, sails, and rigging of a sailing ship, from top (n.1) + hamper (n.) in the nautical sense of "things necessary but often in the way."

Wiktionary
top-hamper

n. (context nautical English) The upper rigging, spars, etc., of a ship.

Usage examples of "top-hamper".

Small ships, with comparatively little top-hamper in the way of radar: they had the three Soviet types of radar known to NATO as Hawk Screech, Slim Net and Don, but the aerials were unobtrusive, nothing like the contraptions on bigger ships.