thermos flask
- noun
- /ˈθɜrməs flæsk/
- To keep my tea warm during the day, I always carry a thermos flask.
Examples
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She packed a thermos flask of ice water for the picnic.
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There's only the thermos flask and the bottle.
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We debated thermos flasks but went for simplicity.
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I've got a quart and what's left in the thermos flask.
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I filled my thermos flask with hot coffee before the long hike.
Synonyms
A container that keeps drinks hot or cold for a long time
A bottle that keeps drinks hot or cold for a long time
A container with two walls and empty space between them that keeps drinks hot or cold
A container that keeps drinks hot or cold for a long time
How Insulating
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and literally built from 'thermos' (a vacuum-sealed container for beverages) plus 'flask' (a container for liquids): together they specify a type of container that keeps liquids hot or cold. This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand the MWE.
Etymology
Thermos flask gets its name from the Greek word thermos, meaning 'hot', and from the simple bottle idea of a flask with two walls and an empty space between them. That empty space stops heat from moving in or out, so the bottle keeps drinks hot or cold for a long time.