A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

at the time of something • in the time of some-
thing
at the time of something —at the particular point of time: I
was in India at the time of my father’s death.
– 25 –
at the time of something

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in the time of something —(also: in the times of something )
during the period associated with smth.: The payment of an-
nates had originated in the time of the crusades.
at the top of the heap • on top of the world
at the top of the heap —(also: at the top of the tree) 
1
. as high
as possible in one’s career or profession: Regardless of who is
at the top of the heap in our government we are still the most
diverse nation. 2. of the highest rank within a group of items:
At the top of the heap are private colleges and universities such
as Yale, Williams and Harvard which are world re nowned.
on top of the world —extremely happy: I was on top of the
world and it seemed like just the beginning of a long and glo-
rious career.
at the top of the tree • up a tree
at the top of the tree —(also: at the top of the heap) 
1
. as high
as possible in one’s career or profession: You’re asking us to
believe that a man right at the top of his particular tree, is
going to commit forgery. 2. of the highest rank within a group
of items: You may be selling products on behalf of another
company, or you might be the company at the top of the
tree…
up a tree —
1
. (coll.) in trouble or difficulty (also: up a gum-
tree): The news that no hotel accommodations were obtainable
left me rather up a tree. 2. (sl.) alcohol intoxicated: Only two
glasses of booze and he was up a tree for sure.
Note: 
a) The expression does not correlate in meaning with
the phrase up the pole—(sl.) 
1
. (UK) confused or muddled: The
Pope told Galileo that he was up the pole for pretending the
world was round. 2. (Irish) pregnant: “Is she up the pole?”
“Better ask Seymour that.”
b) The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase