How Do You Spell WAST AT?

Pronunciation: [wɒst ˈat] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "wast at" may seem unusual at first glance, but it can be easily explained through IPA phonetic transcription. "Wast" is pronounced /wɑst/, with the "a" represented by the symbol for the open back unrounded vowel. "At" is pronounced /æt/, with the "a" represented by the symbol for the near-front unrounded vowel. Together, the two words form a contraction of "wast thou at", an old-fashioned way of asking someone if they were present at a particular event or location.