\Up"per\, a.; comp. of {Up}.
Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place,
position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper
lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a
legislature.
{The upper hand}, the superiority; the advantage. See {To
   have the upper hand}, under {Hand}. --Jowett (Thucyd.).
{Upper Bench} (Eng. Hist.), the name of the highest court of
   common law (formerly King's Bench) during the
   Commonwealth.
{Upper case}, the top one of a pair of compositor's cases.
   See the Note under 1st {Case}, n., 3.
{Upper covert} (Zo["o]l.), one of the coverts situated above
   the bases of the tail quills.
{Upper deck} (Naut.), the topmost deck of any vessel; the
   spar deck.
{Upper leather}, the leather for the vamps and quarters of
   shoes.
{Upper strake} (Naut.), the strake next to the deck, usually
   of hard wood, and heavier than the other strakes.
{Upper ten thousand}, or (abbreviated) {Upper ten}, the ten
   thousand, more or less, who are highest in position or
   wealth; the upper class; the aristocracy. [Colloq.]
{Upper topsail} (Naut.), the upper half of a double topsail.
{Upper works} (Naut.), all those parts of the hull of a
   vessel that are properly above water.
{Upper world}.
(a) The atmosphere.
(b) Heaven.
(c) This world; the earth; -- in distinction from the
    {underworld}.

\Up"per\, n.
The upper leather for a shoe; a vamp.