/ kriːm; NAmE / noun , adjective , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] the thick pale yellowish-white fatty liquid that rises to the top of milk, used in cooking or as a type of sauce to put on fruit, etc. :
strawberries and cream
Would you like milk or cream in your coffee?
fresh / whipped cream
( BrE )
cream cakes (= containing cream)
( BrE )
double / single cream (= thick / thin cream)
—see also clotted cream , ice cream , salad cream , sour cream , whipping cream
2.
[ C ] (in compounds) a sweet / candy that has a soft substance like cream inside :
a chocolate / peppermint cream
3.
[ U , C ] a soft substance or thick liquid used on your skin to protect it or make it feel soft; a similar substance used for cleaning things :
hand / moisturizing cream
antiseptic cream
a cream cleaner
—see also cold cream , face cream , shaving cream
4.
[ U ] a pale yellowish-white colour
5.
the ~ of sth the best people or things in a particular group :
the cream of New York society
the cream of the crop of this season's movies
•
IDIOMS
see cat
■ adjective
pale yellowish-white in colour :
a cream linen suit
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to mix things together into a soft smooth mixture :
Cream the butter and sugar together.
2.
( NAmE , informal ) to completely defeat sb :
We got creamed in the first round.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- cream sb/sth off
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French cresme , from a blend of late Latin cramum (probably of Gaulish origin) and ecclesiastical Latin chrisma , from Greek khrisma anointing, from khriein anoint.