cream
/kri:m/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A thick, soft substance applied to the skin: A cosmetic or medicinal preparation, typically used for moisturizing, cleansing, or healing.
- The fatty part of milk: The yellowish, fatty component that rises to the top of milk and is used to make butter.
- The best part of something: The most excellent people or elements within a group.
- A pale yellowish-white color: A color resembling that of dairy cream.
Verb:
- To add cream to something: To mix or pour cream into a food or drink.
- To remove cream from the surface: To skim the fatty layer from a liquid, especially milk.
- To apply cream to the skin: To rub a creamy substance onto the body.
- To beat ingredients into a soft, smooth mixture: To blend, typically butter and sugar, until light and creamy.
- To defeat decisively: To beat an opponent thoroughly in a competition.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- She uses a moisturizing cream on her face every day.
- Would you like some cream in your coffee?
- The students accepted into that university are the cream of the crop.
- The walls were painted a soft cream.
Verb:
- I like to cream my coffee.
- The recipe says to cream the butter and sugar together first.
- He creamed his skin after shaving.
- Our team creamed their rivals in the final match.
Advanced Usage
"The cream of the crop": The very best of a particular group.
- These award-winning wines represent the cream of the crop from this region.
"To cream off": To take the best people or things from a group, often unfairly.
- The elite schools tend to cream off the most talented students.
Variants and Related Words
- Creamy (adj): Having the rich, smooth texture or appearance of cream.
- The soup had a creamy consistency.
- Creamer (n): A powder or liquid used as a substitute for cream in coffee or tea.
- She prefers a non-dairy creamer in her coffee.
Synonyms
- Noun (skin product): Lotion, ointment, moisturizer.
- Noun (best part): Elite, best, flower, prime.
- Verb (to beat): Thrash, trounce, defeat soundly.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Cream off: To remove the best part; to take the most valuable resources.
- The new policy risks creaming off funds from essential public services.
Related Idioms
- Like a cat that got the cream: Appearing very pleased with oneself, often smugly.
- He walked in looking like a cat that got the cream, so we knew he had good news.
Noun
- toiletry consisting of any of various substances in the form of a thick liquid that have a soothing and moisturizing effect when applied to the skin
- the part of milk containing the butterfat
- the best people or things in a group
- the cream of England's young men were killed in the Great War
Verb
- add cream to one's coffee, for example
- remove from the surface
- skim cream from the surface of milk
- put on cream, as on one's face or body
- She creams her face every night
- beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight
- We licked the other team on Sunday!
- make creamy by beating
- Cream the butter