the meaning of 'top yourself"

[padj]

I am wondering how the saying "top yourself" "top oneself" meaning suicide, developed????

[jno]

well, if you 'top and tail' something you cut off its start and end; I expect it suggests decaptiating something. (Though of course this is a rather unusual method of suicide.)

[bwfcolinh58]

did you hear about the ice-cream man who killed himself, by covering himself in hundreds and thousands...............

police think he TOPPED HIMSELF........

[Quizmonster]

To 'top' meant to execute by hanging from the 18th century, probably based on the fact that earlier executions had involved decapitation by axe. The public executioner was called the 'topsman'. So, one way or the other, 'top' has long meant to kill deliberately including by suicide.