cream

[ kreem ]

/ krim /

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See synonyms for: cream / creamed / creamer / creamest on Thesaurus.com

noun

the fatty part of milk, which rises to the surface when the liquid is allowed to stand unless homogenized.

a soft solid or thick liquid containing medicaments or other specific ingredients, applied externally for a prophylactic, therapeutic, or cosmetic purpose.

Usually creams. a soft-centered confection of fondant or fudge coated with chocolate.

a purée or soup containing cream or milk: cream of tomato soup.

the best part of anything: the cream of society.

a yellowish white; light tint of yellow or buff.

verb (used without object)

to form cream.

to froth; foam.

Informal. to advance or favor only the wealthiest, most skilled or talented, etc., especially so as to reap the benefits oneself: Management is creaming by advancing only the most productive workers.

Also cream one's jeans. Slang: Vulgar.

to have an orgasm, especially to ejaculate or experience glandular lubrication of the vagina.
to be overcome, as in rapturous admiration or delight.

verb (used with object)

to work (butter and sugar, or the like) to a smooth, creamy mass.

to prepare (chicken, oysters, vegetables, etc.) with cream, milk, or a cream sauce.

to allow (milk) to form cream.

to skim (milk).

to separate as cream.

to take the cream or best part of.

to use a cosmetic cream on.

to add cream to (tea, coffee, etc.).

Slang.

to beat or damage severely; lambaste.
to defeat decisively.
to accomplish, especially to pass (a test or course), with great ease and success: She creamed the math test, getting the highest grade in the class.

adjective

of the color cream; cream-colored.

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Idioms about cream

cream of the crop, the best or choicest: a college that accepts only students who are the cream of the crop.

Origin of cream

1300–50; Middle English creme<Anglo-French, Old French cresme<Late Latin chrīsmachrism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cream in a sentence

Unilever’s brands, which include Dove soap, Lipton tea, Breyers ice cream, and Vaseline, are sold in 190 countries, and its China and North America businesses have been recent bright spots.
The 21 best stocks to buy for 2021|Anne Sraders|November 20, 2020|Fortune
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring a few times, until the mixture has thickened to the thickness of cream, about 2 minutes.
This decadent quinoa bake is a clever way to reinvent leftover Thanksgiving vegetables|Ellie Krieger|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Very much a mass-market consumer-goods business with brands like Dove Soap, Lipton Tea, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.
Does Advertising Actually Work? (Part 1: TV) (Ep. 440)|Stephen J. Dubner|November 19, 2020|Freakonomics
Remove from the oven, stir in the cream and vanilla and let cool completely.
Tart roasted cranberries and a billowy meringue topping take this pie in a bright, bold direction|Erin Jeanne McDowell|November 12, 2020|Washington Post

Top it with whipped cream for the ultimate decadent experience.
Dig into this fall-spice pudding pie nestled in a nut crust and topped with whipped cream|Erin Jeanne McDowell|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
And conversely, how will Obama recover from this creaming, this drubbing at the hands of a man he despises?
Was That Obama’s Dud Double Who Lost the Debate to Romney?|Tunku Varadarajan|October 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
President Obama is creaming Mitt Romney in one increasingly important arena—the digital campaign.
Obama's Online Victory|Howard Kurtz|August 15, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The tide was creaming over the short thumb of a jetty, and the herd of small black cows was patrolling the beach.
Mushroom Town|Oliver Onions
The heavens above were of a pitchy darkness, and the only light was from the creaming foam of the sea on every side.
Masterman Ready|Captain Frederick Marryat
At midnight the Alden was plunging into creaming seas, her five masts thrummed by the blast.
Blow The Man Down|Holman Day
It rushed in a creaming smother about their ankles, plucked at their knees, but could rise no higher.
Joan of the Sword Hand|S(amuel) R(utherford) Crockett
Instead of creaming sweetbreads and calves' brains, however, these organs are sometimes scrambled with eggs.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 3|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

British Dictionary definitions for cream

cream

/ (kriːm) /

noun

the fatty part of milk, which rises to the top if the milk is allowed to stand
(as modifier)cream buns

anything resembling cream in consistencyshoe cream; beauty cream

the best one or most essential part of something; pickthe cream of the bunch; the cream of the joke

a soup containing cream or milkcream of chicken soup

any of various dishes, cakes, biscuits, etc, resembling or containing cream

a confection made of fondant or soft fudge, often covered in chocolate

cream sherry a full-bodied sweet sherry

a yellowish-white colour
(as adjective)cream wallpaper

verb

(tr) to skim or otherwise separate the cream from (milk)

(tr) to beat (foodstuffs, esp butter and sugar) to a light creamy consistency

(intr) to form cream

(tr) to add or apply cream or any creamlike substance toto cream one's face; to cream coffee

(tr sometimes foll by off) to take away the best part of

(tr) to prepare or cook (vegetables, chicken, etc) with cream or milk

to allow (milk) to form a layer of cream on its surface or (of milk) to form such a layer

(tr) slang, mainly US, Canadian and Australian to beat thoroughly

(intr) slang (of a man) to ejaculate during orgasm

Derived forms of cream

creamlike, adjective

Word Origin for cream

C14: from Old French cresme, from Late Latin crāmum cream, of Celtic origin; influenced by Church Latin chrisma unction, chrism

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

cream

Idioms about cream

Origin of cream

Words related to cream

How to use cream in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cream

Derived forms of cream

Word Origin for cream