Text only Version of the Online Writing Lab
St. Louis Community College - Meramec
"She sings at the top of her lungs."
On a literal level this means... She sings until the top of the hour.
Incorrect - On a literal level using the word top in the context of an action means the action is at full capacity. The idea of singing until the top of the hour implies a length of time or duration for the activity and not the capacity or intensity.