cream
gb/kɹˈim/ us/kɹˈim/
A2
English
~ 3000
tejszín, krém, valaminek a legjava, elit, valaminek a krémje, csúnyán elver, kiüt, lealáz, habosra kever
NOUN
A2
1
tejszín
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] puts cream in [something]
She added a splash of cream to her coffee.
Egy kevés tejszínt öntött a kávéjába.
The recipe calls for half a cup of heavy cream.
A recepthez fél csésze zsíros tejszín kell.
Fresh strawberries with cream are a summer treat.
Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
He prefers cream instead of milk in his tea.
Learner examples
I put cream in my coffee.
Tejszínt teszek a kávémba.
She buys fresh cream from the market.
Friss tejszínt vesz a piacon.
We need cream for the cake.
The cream is in the fridge.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'cream' with 'milk' and use it interchangeably, though cream is thicker and richer.
Meaning
thick part of milk
Collocations
whipped cream
|pour cream
|fresh cream
|double cream
|single cream
Synonyms
dairy cream (Specifies it comes from milk, not plant sources.)
Antonyms
skim milk (Milk from which the cream has been removed.)
Themes
food
|cooking
|daily life
|food_drink
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The thick, rich part of milk that is used in food or drinks.
The thick, fatty part of milk that rises to the top and is used in cooking or as food.
NOUN
A2
2
krém
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] applies cream to [body part]
Apply this moisturizing cream twice a day.
Ezt a hidratálókrémet naponta kétszer vidd fel.
She uses a special hand cream in the winter.
Télen egy speciális kézkrémet használ.
The doctor gave him an antiseptic cream for the cut.
Face creams can help reduce dryness.
Sunscreen creams protect your skin from UV rays.
Learner examples
I use face cream every morning.
Minden reggel arckrémet használok.
She puts hand cream on before bed.
Lefekvés előtt kézkrémet ken a kezére.
This cream helps my skin feel soft.
The doctor gave me cream for my rash.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cream' with 'ointment' or 'lotion', not realizing the difference in texture and use.
Meaning
skin or hair lotion
Collocations
face cream
|hand cream
|moisturizing cream
|sunscreen cream
Synonyms
lotion (Usually thinner in texture than cream.)
Antonyms
ointment (Usually greasier and used mainly for medical treatment.)
Themes
health
|beauty
|daily life
|body
|daily_life
Definition
A thick lotion you put on skin or hair to keep it healthy or make it look good.
A soft, thick substance applied to the skin or hair for protection, healing, or cosmetic purposes.
NOUN
B2
3
Usage pattern:
the cream of [group]
The school attracts the cream of young scientists.
Az iskola a fiatal tudósok legjavát vonzza.
These players are the cream of the crop in their sport.
Ezek a játékosok a sportáguk legjobbjai.
Only the cream of society attended the ball.
He was considered among the cream of the literary world.
Learner examples
She is the cream of her class.
Ő az osztálya legjobb tanulója.
He is the cream of the team.
Ő a csapat legjobb játékosa.
These students are the cream of the school.
Common mistake:
Learners may take this meaning literally as dairy cream if they don't know it's figurative.
Meaning
best or most skilled people
Collocations
cream of the crop
|the cream of society
Synonyms
elite (More formal; often used for people with high social status.)
Antonyms
mediocrity (Refers to average or unremarkable quality.)
Themes
people
|quality
|education
|business
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The best people or things in a group.
The best part or highest quality members of a group.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
[someone] creams [someone] at [activity]
Our team creamed them 5–0 in the final.
A csapatunk 5–0-ra lealázta őket a döntőben.
He got creamed in yesterday’s chess match.
Csúnyán elverték a tegnapi sakkmeccsen.
They creamed their rivals in record time.
Learner examples
We creamed them in the game.
Lealáztuk őket a meccsen.
They creamed the other team.
Csúnyán elverték a másik csapatot.
He got creamed at tennis.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the cooking sense of 'cream', using it incorrectly in sports contexts.
Meaning
defeat easily and completely
Collocations
cream the opposition
|got creamed
Synonyms
crush (Common in sports; implies overwhelming victory.)
Antonyms
lose to (Means to be defeated by someone.)
Themes
sports
|competition
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To win against someone by a lot or very easily.
To beat someone very easily in a game, competition, or fight.
VERB
B1
5
Usage pattern:
[someone] creams [ingredient] with [ingredient]
Cream the butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy.
Keverd habosra a vajat a cukorral, amíg világos nem lesz.
She creamed together margarine and honey for the frosting.
A mázhoz habosra keverte a margarint a mézzel.
The recipe says to cream eggs into the mixture.
Learner examples
Cream butter and sugar together.
Keverd habosra a vajat a cukorral.
I will cream the butter first.
Először habosra keverem a vajat.
She creamed sugar with butter.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'cream' here means adding dairy cream instead of mixing until smooth.
Meaning
mix until smooth and light
Collocations
cream together butter and sugar
Synonyms
whip (Whipping can also introduce more air; not always interchangeable depending on recipe.)
Antonyms
fold in (A gentler mixing method that does not aim for fluffiness.)
Themes
cooking
|food_drink
|daily_life
Definition
To mix butter and sugar until it is soft and light.
To beat ingredients such as butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cream
IPA
GB/kɹˈim/
US/kɹˈim/
Syllables & stress
cream (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cream)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cream
- Plural: cream, creams
Verb
- Base: cream
- 3rd Person Singular: creams
- Present Participle: creaming
- Past: creamed
Word family
Forms
creams
noun
creaming
verb
creamed
verb
Core family
creamy
adjective B1
Related words
creamer
noun
creaminess
noun
Advanced or less common
creamery
noun
Expressions
cream of the crop
1/kɹˈim əv ðə kɹˈɑp/
idiom
best in a group
The best people or things in a group.
Examples
- These students are truly the cream of the crop.
- This wine is the cream of the crop from last year’s harvest.
cream someone’s corn
1/kɹˈim sˈʌmwˌʌnz kˈɔɹn/
idiom
informal
annoy someone greatly
To make someone very annoyed or angry.
Examples
- It really creams my corn when people cut in line.
- That kind of behavior creams her corn every time.
get creamed
1/ɡˈɛt kɹˈimd/
idiom
informal
be beaten badly
To lose by a lot in a game or fight.
Examples
- We got creamed in last night’s match.
- They got creamed by their rivals.
rise to the top like cream
1/ɹˈaɪz tə ðə tˈɑp lˈaɪk kɹˈim/
idiom
best people succeed naturally
The best people or things will become successful without help, like cream rising in milk.
Examples
- She rose to the top like cream because of her talent.
- In any field, true skill will rise to the top like cream.