flask
/flæsk/ · flask
noun
- A narrow‑necked vessel of metal or glass, historically used to carry gunpowder, quicksilver, or to heat water. The soldier tucked the sheet‑metal flask of gunpowder into his pack before the march.
- A small, discreet container for carrying a hard alcoholic beverage, often carried in a pocket. He slipped his pocket flask of whiskey into his coat pocket before the concert.
- Laboratory glassware designed to hold larger volumes than test tubes, typically with a narrow mouth that widens to a flat or spherical base. The chemist poured the solution into a round‑bottom flask for the reflux experiment.
verb
- To invest a denture in a flask in order to produce a sectional mold. The dental technician flasked the impression to create an accurate replica of the patient's teeth.
Did you know? Robert Boyle’s 1660 invention of the first true laboratory flask, the “Boyle flask,” revolutionized chemistry by allowing controlled heating and condensation of liquids.