cream
cream — noun
1. the thick, pale layer of fat found on fresh milk, frequently added to dishes dur
the thick, pale layer of fat found on fresh milk, frequently added to dishes during cooking or baking, or spooned over desserts
Kemi poured fresh cream over the bowl of strawberries for dessert.
collocation: fresh cream / pour cream
Would you like some cream in your coffee, or do you prefer it black?
The recipe calls for two cups of heavy cream and a tablespoon of sugar.
My grandmother used to skim the cream from the top of the milk every morning.
Luca asked if the soup was made with cream or just regular milk.
- whipped cream
cream that has been beaten until light and fluffy, a specific prepared form
- single cream
thinner cream for pouring, common in British English
- double cream
thick cream with high fat content, used in British cooking
- skimmed milk
milk with all the cream removed
用法筆記
In recipes, 'heavy cream' (US) or 'double cream' (UK) refers to cream with a high fat content that whips easily.
常見錯誤
2. a pale yellowish-white colour, like the colour of milk cream
a pale yellowish-white colour, like the colour of milk cream
Andrés chose a cream colour for the living room walls to keep things bright.
collocation: cream colour for walls
The wedding invitations were printed on cream paper with gold lettering.
Iris wore a soft cream sweater that matched her winter coat perfectly.
The old villa had cream stone walls that glowed warmly in the afternoon sun.
用法筆記
Used as a colour name in paint, fashion, and design. Often paired with other neutral tones such as beige, ivory, and tan.
3. a soft, thick product that people put on their skin to moisturise, protect, or t
a soft, thick product that people put on their skin to moisturise, protect, or treat a medical condition
Imran applies sunscreen cream every morning before he goes out into the sun.
protective use: sunscreen cream
The doctor gave Niran a special cream to treat the rash on his arms.
Mira keeps hand cream on her desk and uses it after washing up.
This anti-aging cream costs a lot, but Astrid says it works well on her skin.
Parents should use a gentle cream on babies to avoid causing any irritation.
- lotion
thinner and more liquid than cream
- moisturiser
specifically for adding moisture to the skin
- ointment
thicker and greasier than cream, often medicinal
用法筆記
Countable when referring to a specific type or container ('I bought three creams at the pharmacy'). Uncountable when referring to the substance generally ('This cream is very moisturising').
常見錯誤
4. a sweet food with a soft, creamy filling inside, often covered in chocolate
a sweet food with a soft, creamy filling inside, often covered in chocolate
Putri bought a box of chocolate creams from the sweet shop for her grandmother's visit.
countable: chocolate creams as a type of sweet
These strawberry creams are my favourite kind of sweet from the shop.
Roya offered the guests a selection of soft creams and hard candies from the jar.
The old-fashioned sweet shop sells cream-filled chocolates in a variety of fruit flavours.
- chocolate cream
a chocolate with a soft cream centre
- creme-filled candy
the American term for this kind of sweet
用法筆記
This sense is more common in British English. In the US, 'cream' in confectionery is often called 'creme' filling.
5. a thick, smooth cleaning product for hard surfaces like kitchen counters, sinks,
a thick, smooth cleaning product for hard surfaces like kitchen counters, sinks, or bathroom tiles
Lan scrubbed the kitchen counter with a cleaning cream to remove the grease.
use: cleaning cream for kitchen surfaces
You only need a small amount of this cream to clean the entire bathroom sink.
Christopher bought a new cleaning cream that works well on the stove top.
The cleaning cream left the white tiles looking shiny and completely spotless.
- cleanser
a more general term for any cleaning product
- scouring cream
a cream with mild abrasives for tough stains
6. a smooth, thick soup made with cream or milk and cooked vegetables, meat, or fis
a smooth, thick soup made with cream or milk and cooked vegetables, meat, or fish that have been blended until soft
Zayd ordered a bowl of cream of mushroom soup to start his meal.
pattern: cream of [vegetable] soup
The restaurant's cream of tomato soup comes with fresh bread on the side.
Kemi learned to make cream of chicken soup from her grandmother's old recipe book.
On cold winter days, a hot bowl of cream soup warms you up very quickly.
用法筆記
Countable when referring to a specific variety or serving ('I'll have two creams — mushroom and tomato'). Uncountable when referring to the type of soup generally.
7. the finest or most excellent individuals or items within a larger group; the hig
the finest or most excellent individuals or items within a larger group; the highest-quality members of a particular set
The university selects only the cream of its graduating students for the honours programme.
figurative idiom: cream of [group] for the best people
This music school takes only the cream of young musicians from across the country.
The cream of the city's chefs will compete in the cooking competition next month.
Aesha was considered among the cream of the graduating class this year.
- dregs
the worst or lowest-quality part of a group
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'the cream of the crop' or 'the cream of [group]'. Used only as a singular noun referring to a collective group.
常見錯誤
cream — adjective
1. having a pale yellowish-white colour, like that of milk cream
having a pale yellowish-white colour, like that of milk cream
Eli wore a cream jacket to the party with a dark blue shirt underneath.
describing clothing: cream jacket
The old cat had soft cream fur and bright green eyes.
Adaeze and Otis painted the nursery a warm cream shade that felt calm and welcoming.
Henry parked his cream-coloured van in front of the old brick building.
A cream rug on the wooden floor made the room look bigger and brighter.
用法筆記
Used as an invariable adjective — it does not change form for gender or number. The hyphenated form 'cream-coloured' (UK) or 'cream-colored' (US) is also very common.
cream — verb
1. to beat or mix ingredients, especially butter and sugar, together until the mixt
to beat or mix ingredients, especially butter and sugar, together until the mixture becomes pale, light, and smooth in texture
Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture turns pale and fluffy.
cooking verb: cream + butter + sugar together
The recipe says to cream the eggs and sugar before adding the flour.
Eli creamed the margarine and sugar by hand using a large wooden spoon.
You should cream the shortening and sugar first before adding any liquid.
文法句型
cream + [ingredient] + and + [ingredient]
cream + together
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in baking and cooking instructions. The creaming method is a standard first step in cake and cookie recipes.