Definition

1. 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.

2. 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

1. 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
2. the part of milk containing the butterfat
3. the best people or things in a group
   • the cream of England's young men were killed in the Great War

Verb

1. add cream to one's coffee, for example
2. remove from the surface
   • skim cream from the surface of milk
3. put on cream, as on one's face or body
   • She creams her face every night
4. beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight
   • We licked the other team on Sunday!
5. make creamy by beating
   • Cream the butter