cream off

English

Verb

cream off (third-person singular simple present creams off, present participle creaming off, simple past and past participle creamed off)

1. To extract the cream or creamy part from something.
2. To separate (the best part of something from the regular part).
   • 2020, Cristina Flesher Fominaya, Democracy Reloaded, page 178:

     Manuel points out that the real cost of corruption is not what is actually embezzled or creamed off the top: The best thing these people could do is just take from the public treasury directly, because that would be much less expensive.

   • 2020 September 23, Nigel Harris, “Comment: We MUST seize the moment”, in Rail, page 3:

     For entirely self-serving reasons, ministers and civil servants never dispelled the public belief that uncaring 'fat cat' privateers or foreign state railways were in control, ramping up fares and creaming off profits which either enriched shareholders or subsidised European rail fares. DfT left train operators to 'take the heat' - which they dutifully did, fearful of speaking up and 'biting the hand that feeds'.

3. To use a cream (cold cream) to remove something (usually makeup, from one's face).
4. (figuratively) To earn, or embezzle, a percentage of a profit.