flask / cob / stock
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flask
A bulbous glass vessel with a narrow neck that is used in chemistry laboratories to heat, mix, or distill liquids.
Der Chemiker füllte die reagierende Flüssigkeit vorsichtig in den Kolben.
The chemist carefully poured the reacting liquid into the flask.
cob
The thickened, fleshy inflorescence of a plant, on which the flowers and later the fruits sit, as in an ear of corn, for example.
Der braune, zigarrenförmige Kolbe des Rohrkolbens ist ein markantes Merkmal der Sumpfpflanze.
The brown, cigar-shaped cob of the cattail is a distinctive feature of the marsh plant.
stock
The rear part of a rifle or another firearm that is braced against the shoulder.
Der Soldat schlug mit dem Kolben seines Gewehrs die Tür ein.
The soldier smashed in the door with the stock of his rifle.
Since this word has very different meanings, context is crucial. Look for words like 'Labor' (laboratory) or 'Chemie' (chemistry) for the vessel meaning, 'Pflanze' (plant) or 'Mais' (corn) for the plant-part meaning, and 'Gewehr' (rifle) or 'Waffe' (weapon) for the firearm-part meaning.
Im Labor erhitzte sie die Lösung in einem Glaskolben.
In the laboratory, she heated the solution in a glass flask.
In a laboratory context, 'Kolben' (flask) is often described with adjectives like 'gläsern' (glass) or 'bauchig' (bulbous). Typical verbs are 'füllen' (to fill), 'erhitzen' (to heat), or 'schwenken' (to swirl).
Der Chemiker schwenkte den Kolben, um die Flüssigkeiten zu mischen.
The chemist swirled the flask to mix the liquids.
The most common use in a botanical context is the compound 'der Maiskolben' (corn cob / ear of corn). This word is often learned and used as a single unit.
Gegrillter Maiskolben mit Butter ist eine beliebte Beilage.
Grilled corn on the cob with butter is a popular side dish.
When talking about weapons, 'Kolben' (stock) is often mentioned in connection with actions. Typical formulations are 'mit dem Kolben schlagen' (to hit with the stock) or 'den Kolben an die Schulter pressen' (to press the stock against the shoulder).
Der Schütze presste den Kolben fest an seine Schulter, um zu zielen.
The marksman pressed the stock firmly against his shoulder to aim.
piston / cob / flask
Both words can refer to a bulbous glass vessel with a narrow neck used in a laboratory. For this vessel, Kolben is the usual term in present-day standard German, while Kolbe can also be used but is less common. In a normal laboratory situation, Kolben is therefore usually the better choice.
Die Flüssigkeit wurde im Kolbe langsam erhitzt.
The liquid was heated slowly in the flask.
Die Chemikerin erhitzte die Flüssigkeit vorsichtig im Kolben.
The chemist carefully heated the liquid in the flask.
