flask
B2Neutral, with specific technical registers in science.
Definition
Meaning
A small, narrow-necked bottle, typically made of glass or metal, used for storing liquids.
1) A flat-sided, curved glass or metal bottle carried in a pocket (hip flask). 2) A wide-mouthed glass container with a round body and a narrow neck used in laboratories. 3) A thermos or vacuum flask used to keep liquids hot or cold.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core meaning relates to a portable container for liquids. The sense is specialized in science (laboratory glassware) and in everyday use (thermos, pocket flask).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'thermos' is a brand name; 'vacuum flask' or simply 'flask' is common for insulating containers. In the US, 'thermos' is genericized, but 'flask' strongly implies a pocket flask for alcohol. 'Lab flask' is unambiguous in both.
Connotations
UK: Often associated with tea/coffee (thermos), science, or discreet alcohol. US: Strong primary connotation is a flat pocket container for liquor.
Frequency
The word is moderately common in both varieties. The pocket flask sense is more frequent in US general discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
a flask of [liquid: coffee, brandy, acid]fill/pour from/carry a flaskVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Pocket a flask (to carry one secretly).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except perhaps in manufacturing contexts.
Academic
Common in chemistry/biology labs (e.g., Erlenmeyer flask, volumetric flask).
Everyday
Common for referring to a thermos for drinks or a pocket flask.
Technical
Specific lab equipment with precise names (round-bottom flask, Florence flask).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He flasked the sample for transport.
- The chemical was carefully flasked.
American English
- The scientist flasked the culture medium.
- They flasked the reagents under sterile conditions.
adjective
British English
- The flask-shaped vessel was fragile.
- He preferred a flask-carrying case.
American English
- The flask-culture experiment succeeded.
- A flask-based storage system.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She took a flask of hot tea on her walk.
- My grandfather has a silver flask.
- The chemist poured the liquid into a conical flask.
- He always carries a small flask in his coat pocket.
- The integrity of the vacuum flask kept the soup hot for hours.
- Different laboratory flasks are designed for specific experimental procedures.
- The volumetric flask is calibrated to contain a precise volume at a specified temperature.
- His proclivity for carrying a hip flask revealed more about his anxieties than he intended.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A FLASK is FLAT and made for a SIP or a TASK (in the lab).
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTAINER FOR ESSENCE (e.g., 'a flask of memories').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'flaska' (slang for bottle in Russian). The English word is specific in shape/use.
- The lab 'колба' is accurately translated as 'flask'.
- A 'термос' is a 'thermos' or 'vacuum flask', not just 'flask' without context.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'flask' for any bottle (e.g., wine bottle).
- Confusing 'flask' (lab) with 'beaker' (wide, cylindrical lab container).
- Misspelling as 'flask' vs. 'flask'.
Practice
Quiz
In a British chemistry lab, a student is most likely to ask for a 'flask' to refer to which item?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, 'flask' often means 'thermos'. In American English, 'thermos' is more common for an insulating container, while 'flask' usually means a hip flask.
A flask typically has a narrow neck and may be conical or round-bottomed, used for holding, mixing, or heating liquids. A beaker is a straight-sided, cylindrical container with a pouring lip, used for rough measurement and mixing.
Yes, though it's technical. It means to place or seal something in a flask, common in scientific contexts (e.g., 'The culture was flasked for incubation').
A small, flat flask designed to fit in a trouser pocket, traditionally used for carrying spirits.