In its basic, literal sense, it means exactly what it says. The person on the bottom is leading the top, thus technically topping from the bottom.
Guy 1: So I heard Derek let you top last night?
Guy 2: Yeah, but even though he was bottoming, he still had most of the control.
Guy 1: Ah, clearly he was topping from the bottom.
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Basically, it is a description of sexual nature that could involve any number of acts: when a dominant person takes a submissive role but still remains in charge while the actual submissive person takes a dominant role but still takes orders.
A dominatrix is said to "top from the bottom" when she lets her submissive tie her up and perform oral sex on her, but all the while she is telling him how she likes to be licked and he does it how she says to.
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TL;DR:(V) When a person positions themelf as subordinate or submissive, but controls the situation, makes decisions, or dominates others when they are not supposed to.
(Full) The term originates from the kink and BDSM community, but could apply anywhere, and refers to an often abusive failure to adhere to one's role as a power dynamic . "Top and bottom indicates the position of a role in a dynamic seperated by a "/", i.e. "Top/bottom" (T/b, Dom/sub, Sado/maso, Parent/child, Employer/employee, Win/lose, etc.)
The "top" slash has control, agency, and imposes their will on the "bottom" slash, who yields control, agency, and is only willful in their submission.
Topping from the bottom occurs when the bottom does not respect these roles and attempts to take control of the scene or relationship or impose their will on the Top slash, often passive agressively, but sometimes directly.
Top: "I thought we were having pizza. Why do we have burgers?"
Bottom 2: "I was picking a pizza, but Bottom 1 complained about all of them. So I chose burgers."
Top: "Bottom 1 mentioned burgers earlier, but when I asked, they said they were fine with whatever I picked, so I picked pizza. Looks like they were "topping from the bottom" again."
Rigger/ bunny
Bunny: "Would you do one of your ties on me today?"
Rig: " Yeah. Sounds like fun." Starts ties
Bunny: "Oh. I don'tlike taht tie. Would you do a different one?"
Rig: "okay." Reties
Bunny: "No not that one either."
Rig: "Well do you have a specific one you want?"
Bunny: "No. As long as you do a good one."
Rig: "Well, I have been doing good ones, but you don't think they are good. I can't do any ties if you're gonna "Top from the bottom" like that.
Driver/passenger - Passenger topping from the bottom
D: "I'll drive I know how to get there."
P: "Great. I HATE driving"; "You're going too fast..." ""...too slow..."...I wouldn't go that way..." "Watch out for that car..." "This ways faster..." "Watch out!"
D: "Hey! If you think you can do better driving, then you take over and I'll ride!"
P: "No thanks. I don't want to be behind the wheel."
D: "Then stop telling me what to do and let me drive in peace.
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When a top just ain't hittin' it right, and needs some guidance and expertise so the bottom gives their own input on how they like it.
Person A: I heard you fucked Riley last night.
Person B: Yeah, he wasn't a really expirenced top, so I had to start topping from the bottom.
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