From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe top of the pilethe top of the pileBritish English the best or highest position in a society or organization It’s been 20 years since a British tennis player was at the top of the pile. → pile
Examples from the Corpus
the top of the pile• I shall begin this evening at the top of the pile and plunge straight through to the bottom.• Koontz continues to challenge Stephen King at the top of the pile.• A new professionalism has gripped Maranello and falling from the top of the pile is not an option.• He turned the paper over and put it back on the top of the pile.• She drew it out and placed it on the top of the pile.• Returning to the top of the pile, she began to read the Sunday Times story. 