I. ˈkrēm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English creme, creime, from Middle French cresme & Old North French craime; Middle French cresme, from Old French, alteration (influenced by cresme chrism, from Late Latin chrisma ) of (assumed) Old French craime (Old North French craime ), from Late Latin cramum, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh cramen scab, Middle Irish screm surface; akin to Middle High German schram gash, Old Norse skrāma wound, Lithuanian kramas scurf, Greek keirein to cut — more at shear , chrism
1. : the yellowish part of milk containing from 18 to about 40 percent butterfat that rises to the surface on standing or is separated by centrifugal force
2.
a. : a food or substance made from or containing cream
cream of celery soup
— usually used with a qualifying word
Bavarian cream
tapioca cream
b. : a solid or liquid substance resembling or suggesting cream in appearance or consistency: as
(1) : any of a class of cosmetic preparations used especially for cleansing, softening, smoothing, and protecting the skin
emollient cream
finishing cream
— see cold cream , shaving cream , vanishing cream
(2) : any of various medicinal preparations usually classed as ointments
(3) : a sweet or candy of a consistency suggesting cream
a box of chocolate creams
(4) : ice cream
bring along a quart of vanilla cream
(5) : the part of an emulsion or suspension that rises and collects on the surface
3. : the best, most desirable, or choicest part of something
the cream of society
the cream of the crop
: quintessence
the cream of the jest
4. : creamer 2
5. : a pale yellow that is lighter, slightly greener, and very slightly stronger than ivory, paler than straw, and greener and paler than leghorn
6. : a cream-colored animal (as a horse or rabbit)
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English cremen, from creme, n.
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to form cream
let the milk stand till it creams
b. : to become covered with cream
beer creaming in a glass
c. : to become like cream : foam , froth
waves creaming on the rocks
d. : to undergo creaming
2. : to proceed with foamy spray and wake (as of a ship)
transitive verb
1.
a. : to draw off by skimming : take the cream off (milk)
b. : to take or remove (the choicest part) — often used with off
cream off the best of a country's production by export
2.
a. : to furnish with or as if with cream : prepare with cream or a cream sauce
b. : to rub, stir, or beat (as butter) until of a light creamy consistency
c. : to blend (as butter and sugar) by stirring or beating
d. slang : beat , lambaste
3.
a. : to cause or allow cream to form on (milk)
b. : to cause to froth or foam
the ship's wake creamed the waves
c. : to bring about creaming of
rubber latex is creamed by salts of alginic acid
4. : to apply a cosmetic cream to
creaming her face daily
III. adjective
Etymology: cream (I)
1.
a. : having the consistency and appearance of cream
cream soup
b. : having cream added
2. : of the color cream
IV. intransitive verb
1. : to experience orgasm — usually considered vulgar
2. : to become rapturously excited — usually considered vulgar