One syllable: cask.
/ˈkæsk/
Say it backCask is a small, rigid container for liquids, typically made of wood and sealed with a tight bung. It is traditionally used for aging wines and spirits, characterized by its short, stout form and pronounced shoulder. In modern usage, “cask” also refers to any wooden vessel with a capacity suitable for storage or transport. Overall, the word emphasizes container size and material rather than a vessel’s permanence.
"• The cooperative stored the whiskey in a charred oak cask to finish its flavor."
"• A visitor asked how many years the cask had been aging the wine."
"• He rolled the cask into the cellar, careful not to bruise its staves."
Pronounce it as /kæsk/ in General American and /kɑːsk/ in many UK/Australian varieties. The word starts with a hard, voiceless /k/ sound, followed by a short, lax vowel. The final /s/ is a voiceless sibilant, and it ends with a voiced or voiceless stop? No—the word ends with /sk/, an /s/ plus /k/ cluster. Keep the jaw relatively closed; lips should be neutral. IPA: US /kæsk/, UK/AU /kɑːsk/. Audio reference: you can hear it in pronunciation videos for “cask” on Forvo or Cambridge.”,
Common errors: treating it like ‘desk’ with a /d/; misplacing the vowel as a long /eɪ/ instead of a short /æ/ or broad /ɑː/. Another mistake is adding an extra vowel before the /sk/, producing /kæskɪ/ or /kæskə/. Correction: start with a clean /k/, use a short front lax vowel for /æ/ (US) or a broad /ɑː/ (UK/AU) depending on region, then directly transition to /s/ + /k/. Aim for a tight, one-syllable cluster without adding vowel intrusion. Practice with minimal pairs like “ask” vs “cask” and ensure no final vowel sound.”} ,{
In US English, /kæsk/ uses a short /æ/ as in ‘cat.’ In many UK and AU varieties, the vowel moves toward /ɑː/ or /ɑ/ in stressed syllables, yielding /kɑːsk/. The final cluster /s/ and /k/ remains. Rhoticity does not affect this word, as /ɑː/ is non-rhotic in some British accents but often realized with a longer quality in some Australian speech. The main difference is vowel length and height: short /æ/ vs broad /ɑː/. All share the same initial /k/ and final /sk/ cluster; the variation centers on the vowel nucleus.”} ,{
The difficulty lies in the short, tense vowel vs long-back vowel shift in some dialects, plus the abrupt /sk/ cluster. Learners may insert a schwa after /k/ or mispronounce the /æ/ as /ɛ/ or /ɑɪ/. The /sk/ cluster can be tricky if you’re not shaping the tongue quickly enough; keep the tongue high for /k/ and slide into the alveolar /s/ and velar /k/ with minimal vowel movement. Pay attention to maintaining a crisp final /sk/ without voicing or extra vowels.”} ,{
There is no silent letter in cask and no stress variation within the word itself since it’s a monosyllable. The primary stress is on the only syllable. The difficulty comes from producing the crisp vowel and the following /sk/ cluster cleanly. Ensure you articulate the onset /k/ sharply and end with a clear /s/ before the /k/. The rhythm is one beat: a quick, tight vowel, then a crisp coda cluster.
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US: /kæsk/ with bright /æ/; UK/AU: /kɑːsk/ or /kɑːsk/ with a broader vowel and slightly longer duration. In US, the /æ/ is fronter and shorter; in UK/AU, the vowel quality is more back and longer. Ensure non-rhotic tendencies do not change consonant clarity. IPA references: US /kæsk/, UK/AU /kɑːsk/. Vowel length contrasts can influence the perceived vowel height; aim for a compact vowel in all varieties. The final /sk/ should be precise; avoid vocalic tails after /s/.
Cask comes from Middle English cask(e), from Old French casque or coc, and from the Latin cista, meaning a chest or box. In Middle English, the form was influenced by Old French casse and possibly by the medieval Latin casca meaning box or crate. The essential sense— a rigid container for liquids, especially wine or spirits—emerges in late medieval to early modern English usage, closely tied to cooperage traditions. Over time, the word narrowed in everyday usage to specifically wooden, sealed containers with staves and a domed head, though in modern contexts ‘cask’ can be used more loosely for any barrel-like vessel. First known attestations appear in English texts from the 13th–14th centuries, with the word appearing in legal and trade documents describing measures and storage practices. The term’s semantic evolution tracks the broader history of wine and spirits storage in Europe, as casks became central to aging processes and quality control. In contemporary English, ‘cask’ preserves a distinct historical flavor, often evoking traditional cooperage, artisan aging, and the romance of vintage drink production. The pronunciation and spelling have remained relatively stable, with minor regional variations in vowel quality across English dialects.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "cask" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "cask"
-ask sounds
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