n. - 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.
n. - The part of any liquor that rises, and collects on the surface.
n. - A delicacy of several kinds prepared for the table from cream, etc., or so as to resemble cream.
n. - A cosmetic; a creamlike medicinal preparation.
n. - 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.
v. t. - To skim, or take off by skimming, as cream.
v. t. - To take off the best or choicest part of.
v. t. - To furnish with, or as with, cream.
v. i. - 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.