[cream] n, often attrib [ME creime, creme, fr. MF craime, cresme, fr. LL cramum, of Celt origin; akin to W cramen scab, crust] (14c) 1: the yellowish part of milk containing from 18 to about 40 percent butterfat
2. a: a food prepared with cream b: something having the consistency of cream; esp: a usu. emulsified medicinal or cosmetic preparation
3: the choicest part: best "the ~ of the crop"
4: creamer 1
5. a: a pale yellow b: a cream-colored animal -- cream.i.ly adv -- cream.i.ness n -- creamy adj
[2]cream vi (1596) 1: to form cream or a surface layer like the cream on standing milk
2: to break into or cause something to break into a creamy froth; also: to move like froth ~ vt 1 a: skim 1c b: to remove (something choice) from an aggregate "she has ~ed off her favorite stories from her earlier books --Times Lit. Supp."
2: to furnish, prepare, or treat with cream; also: to dress with a cream sauce 3 a: to beat into a creamy froth b: to work or blend to the consistency of cream "~ butter and sugar together" c: to cause to form a surface layer of or like cream
4. a: to defeat decisively "was ~ed in the first round" b: wreck "~ed the car on the turnpike"