Top protective equipment? Query oddly missing stocks (5)

I believe the answer is:

upper

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'top' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)

'protective equipment? query oddly missing stocks' is the wordplay.
'protective equipment?' becomes 'ppe' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'oddly missing' indicates alternate letters (letters in odd-numbered positions removed).
'stocks' is an insertion indicator.
The alternating letters of 'query' are 'ur'.
'ppe' put into 'ur' is 'UPPER'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for upper that I've seen before include "Higher in status" , "Higher-ranking" , "form of stimulant" , "Top of shoe; stimulant" , "Higher; part of boot" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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