ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cream the crop

idiom
Meaning

To pick out the most valuable or desirable things or people from a group for one's own interests.


Origin

disputed origin

From cream of the crop.

Examples
SIMPLE

They always cream the crop when hiring new staff.

CONTEXTUAL

The university scouts travel across the country to cream the crop of talented young athletes for their team.

COMPLEX

By offering the most generous scholarships, the prestigious institution manages to cream the crop of students, leaving fewer top-tier candidates for the smaller colleges.

Anchors to
Related idioms7entries
  1. 01

    bumper crop

    An excess of something; a large yield.

  2. 02

    cream in one's coffee

    Something that one relishes.

  3. 03

    cream in one's jeans

    To ejaculate while wearing one's trousers; to experience an orgasm while clothed.

  4. 04

    cream of the crop

    The best or most desirable among some selection.

  5. 05

    crop up

    To occur, especially suddenly or unexpectedly.

  6. 06

    peaches and cream

    A very enjoyable experience, usually used to describe something being unrealistically idyllic.

  7. 07

    specialty crop

    Any of various crops cultivated for, or managed and gathered for, human use (in food, personal hygiene, medicine, or decoration) rather than as animal feed, fodder, or forage.

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