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Definition of homework
Examples of homework in a sentence.
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'homework.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near homework
Cite this entry.
“Homework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homework. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.
Kids Definition
Kids definition of homework, more from merriam-webster on homework.
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for homework
Nglish: Translation of homework for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of homework for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about homework
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Other forms: homeworks
Any assignment you're expected to complete after school and bring back to class the next day is called homework . Many students make up excuses for not having their homework done. The "My dog ate my homework " excuse doesn't work so well in the digital age.
High school students typically have a lot of homework most days, and often that's true for younger students as well. In college, an increasing amount of school work is done outside of class, as homework (even if you do it in the library, a cafe, or a dorm). Homework originally referred to any work done at home, including cooking and cleaning. The first example of the "school work" meaning dates from the late 1880s.
- noun preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home) synonyms: prep , preparation see more see less type of: school assignment , schoolwork a school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher
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- 1.1 Etymology
- 1.2 Pronunciation
- 1.3.1 Usage notes
- 1.3.2 Hypernyms
- 1.3.3 Coordinate terms
- 1.3.4 Derived terms
- 1.3.5 Translations
- 1.4 See also
- 1.5 References
- 1.6 Anagrams
From home + work .
Pronunciation
- ( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/
- ( General American ) IPA ( key ) : /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/
| Audio ( ): | ( ) |
homework ( usually uncountable , plural homeworks )
- 2013 July 1, Peter Wilby , “Finland's education ambassador spreads the word”, in The Guardian [1] , archived from the original on 2022-10-15 : Even 15-year-olds do no more than 30 minutes' homework a night.
- 2023 January 12, Kevin Roose, “Don't Ban ChatGPT in Schools. Teach With It.”, in The New York Times [2] , archived from the original on 2023-01-17 : And I'm sympathetic to teachers who feel that they have enough to worry about, without adding A.I.-generated homework to the mix.
- 2024 May 15, 'Industry Insider', “Labour's plan for the railway”, in RAIL , number 1009 , page 68 : Under the proposals, an assurance is given that GBR (in the words of the plan) will not be marking its own homework .
- 2012 April 10, John Hudson, “North Korea Has a Clumsy Way of Soothing Concerns About Its Rocket Launch”, in The Atlantic [3] , archived from the original on 2022-01-22 : Since the whole world is watching this launch, they probably should've done some homework on their talking points.
- 2017 May 9, “Mindful sex is better sex, says B.C. researcher promoting new workbook”, in CBC News [4] , archived from the original on 2022-11-22 : Four years after her first sexual health book came out, Dr. Lori Brotto is giving her readers a little bit of homework for the bedroom.
- 2022 July 18, Donald Mcrae , quoting Michael Yormark, “Roc Nation's Michael Yormark on Romelu Lukaku: 'You have to play to his strengths... I don't think that happened'”, in The Guardian [5] , archived from the original on 2022-12-26 : I didn't even know who he was until I did my homework and realised he was a premier footballer for Bayern.
- 2023 August 7, Suzanne Wrack , “England beat Nigeria on penalties to reach Women’s World Cup quarter-finals”, in The Guardian [6] : Nigeria had done their homework and were well organised. Halimatu Ayinde was exceptional in her marking of James, who had scored twice and provided three assists as she ran the show against China.
- 1989 , Eileen Boris, Cynthia R. Daniels, Homework: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Paid Labor at Home , University of Illinois Press , →ISBN , page 241 : Hatch perceived homework to be one tool—along with various workfare schemes and private sector training programs—that would take women off welfare and make poor women "independent."
- 1933 , James T. Farrell , Gas-House McGinty , page 186 : My wife and I want a kid, and we do plenty of homework , but goddamn it, Dutch, I just can't connect.
- ( BDSM ) Tasks assigned by a dominant for a submissive to perform when they are physically away from their dominant or otherwise free.
Usage notes
- ( exercises assigned by a teacher ) The term homework generally implies that the work is mandatory and worth marks; exercises that are optional are usually referred to as practice problems , review problems , extra practice , exercises , etc.
- ( exercises assigned by a teacher ) Work of a larger scale than homework (which involves a series of relatively simple exercises) is usually referred to as an assignment or project .
Coordinate terms
Derived terms.
- bit of homework
- do one's homework
- homework club
- homework diary
- piece of homework
- the dog ate my homework
Translations
| (wājib), (wājib manziliyy) (wājib) (tnayin ašxatankʻ), (das) (öygə eş) (xátnjaje zadánnje), (xátnjaja práca) (domášna rábota) (imca) ／ (gung fo ) ／ (zuòyè), ／ (jiātíng zuòyè), ／ (gōngkè) , , , , (sašinao davaleba) (ergasía gia to spíti) , (gŕhakārya) , (しゅくだい, shukudai) (üi tapsyrmasy) (sukje) (üy tapşırması) (wīak bān) (domašna rabota), (domašna zadača) , (geriin daalgavar) or , or (mašq), (kâr dar xâne), (taklif-e madrese), (kâr-e xânagi) (Dari) , , , , (domášneje zadánije), (domášnjaja rabóta), (domáška) (colloquial) , , , (Argentina, Spain, Uruguay), (Latin America) , , (vazifa-yi xonagi), (kor-i xonagi) (gaan-bâan) , (domášnje zavdánnja), (domášnja robóta) (sabaq) (tapshuruq) , , (heymarbet) |
| (yánjiū), ／ (zhǔnbèi gōngzuò) , (podgotovítelʹnaja rabóta), (isslédovanije) |
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Definition of homework noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. ... Find out which words work together and produce more natural-sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner's ...
The earliest known use of the noun homework is in the mid 1600s. OED's earliest evidence for homework is from 1653, in the writing of Edmund Chillenden, parliamentarian army officer and General Baptist leader. homework is formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: home n.1, work n. See etymology.
Definition of homework noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
HOMEWORK definition: 1. work that teachers give their students to do at home: 2. work that teachers give their students…. Learn more.
How to use homework in a sentence. piecework done at home for pay; an assignment given to a student to be completed outside the regular class period… See the full definition
Homework definition: schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom (distinguished from classwork).. See examples of HOMEWORK used in a sentence.
The largest and most trusted free online dictionary for learners of British and American English with definitions, pictures, example sentences, synonyms, antonyms, word origins, audio pronunciation, and more. Look up the meanings of words, abbreviations, phrases, and idioms in our free English Dictionary.
Any assignment you're expected to complete after school and bring back to class the next day is called homework. Many students make up excuses for not having their homework done. The "My dog ate my homework" excuse doesn't work so well in the digital age.
HOMEWORK definition: 1. work that teachers give students to do at home: 2. to prepare carefully for a situation: . Learn more.
Oxford English Dictionary. The historical English dictionary. An unsurpassed guide for researchers in any discipline to the meaning, history, and usage of over 500,000 words and phrases across the English-speaking world. ... Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence ...
(exercises assigned by a teacher) The term homework generally implies that the work is mandatory and worth marks; exercises that are optional are usually referred to as practice problems, review problems, extra practice, exercises, etc.
HOMEWORK meaning: 1. work that teachers give their students to do at home: 2. work that teachers give their students…. Learn more.
3 meanings: 1. school work done out of lessons, esp at home 2. any preparatory study 3. work done at home for pay.... Click for more definitions.
homework in American English. (ˈhoumˌwɜːrk) noun. 1. schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom ( distinguished from classwork) 2. paid work done at home, as piecework. 3. thorough preparatory study of a subject.
homework - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free. ... 'homework' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations): assign - assist - bone - classwork - crib - do - get on - loiter - peg - preparation - pump - schoolwork - study hall - task.
Homework definition: . See examples of HOMEWORK used in a sentence.
schoolwork that a pupil is required to do at home he always helps his daughter with her homework work or study done in preparation for an event or situation he had evidently done his homework and read his predecessor's reports 2. paid work carried out in one's own home, especially low-paid piecework the growth of homework and of part-time working
Homework definition: Work, such as schoolwork or piecework, that is done at home. Dictionary Thesaurus Sentences ... Words Near Homework in the Dictionary home turf; home video; home-wrecker; homeward; homewards; homeware; homewares; homework; homeworker; homeworking; homeworld; homewrecker
Synonyms work work employment career profession occupation trade These are all words for the jobs that somebody does in return for payment, especially over a long period of time. work the job that somebody does, especially in order to earn money:. It's very difficult to find work at the moment. employment (rather formal) work, especially when it is done to earn money; the state of being ...
The meaning of homework. Definition of homework. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.
HOMEWORK meaning: 1. work that teachers give students to do at home: 2. to prepare carefully for a situation: . Learn more.
There are 33 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word home, three of which are labelled obsolete. See 'Meaning & use' for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. home has developed meanings and uses in subjects including. agriculture (Middle English) animals (Middle English) games (mid 1700s) sport (mid 1700s) baseball (1840s ...
The world's bestselling advanced-level dictionary for learners of English. Since 1948, over 100 million English language learners have used OALD to develop their English skills for work and study. Now in its tenth edition, OALD builds English vocabulary better than ever before and leads the way to more confident, successful communication in ...