cream Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun the best people or things in a group
pick.
- the cream of England's young men were killed in the Great War
noun the part of milk containing the butterfat
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
emollient; ointment.
verb make creamy by beating
- Cream the butter
verb beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight
bat; lick; drub; clobber; thrash.
- We licked the other team on Sunday!
verb put on cream, as on one's face or body
- She creams her face every night
verb remove from the surface
cream off; skim; skim off.
- skim cream from the surface of milk
verb add cream to one's coffee, for example

F. crme, perh. fr. LL. crema cteam of milk; cf. L. cremor thick juice or broth, perh. akin to cremare to burn.

The rich, oily, and yellowish part of milk, which, when the milk stands unagitated, rises, and collects on the surface. It is the part of milk from which butter is obtained.
The part of any liquor that rises, and collects on the surface. R.
A delicacy of several kinds prepared for the table from cream, etc., or so as to resemble cream.
A cosmetic; a creamlike medicinal preparation.
In vain she tries her paste and creams, To smooth her skin or hide its seams. Goldsmith.
The best or choicest part of a thing; the quintessence; as. the cream of a jest or story; the cream of a collection of books or pictures.
Welcome, O flower and cream of knights errant. Shelton.

imperfect & past participle Creamed present participle & verbal noun Creaming

To skim, or take off by skimming, as cream.
To take off the best or choicest part of.
To furnish with, or as with, cream.
Creaming the fragrant cups. Mrs. Whitney.

To form or become covered with cream; to become thick like cream; to assume the appearance of cream; hence, to grow stiff or formal; to mantle.
There are a sort of men whose visages Do cream and mantle like a standing pool. Shak.