homework definition merriam

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[ hohm -wurk ]

• schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom ( distinguished from classwork ).
• a single assignment of such schoolwork: Homeworks are due at the beginning of class.
• paid work done at home , as piecework.

to do one's homework for the next committee meeting.

/ ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk /

• school work done out of lessons, esp at home
• any preparatory study
• work done at home for pay

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Word history and origins.

Origin of homework 1

Idioms and Phrases

Example sentences.

Now, they log on to Zoom from their bedrooms, surrounded by unfinished homework assignments and tattered stuffed animals, waiting to be assigned calls, texts and emails by the trained therapists who oversee the program.

Yow started her homework and saw Frese had gone 35-22 with two winning seasons at Ball State, which hadn’t had a winning record in its previous nine seasons.

Do some homework before investing in a diamond, and that lifelong commitment.

Another poster included an image of their losses over what appeared to be online math homework.

As we countdown to Inauguration Day, I've been doing my homework—and looking to the past for inspiration.

“I can help my children with their homework and sometimes we text in English at my job,” Santos says.

Scheunemann, meanwhile, had no idea who Spencer was, and did some homework.

She jumped at the chance to watch RT, or jumped at the chance to skip calculus homework.

And we encourage parent-student “contracts,” for class attendance, homework submission and even extra-curriculum activities.

Adicéam did his homework, spending 50 days collecting pieces, many with unexpected stories behind them.

Much of this homework is done by a very bad light and the boy's eyes suffer much.

For homework we have prepared alphabets where the letters are printed in type-writing order.

His parents were always getting angry with him for losing his clothes, or his toys, or his homework.

Only at the time when he was going to Beauregard School, with his homework.

And once a week or twice a week she was sending her homework or something to him.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• I always do my homework on the bus.
• physics/geography/French, etc. homework
• I still haven't done my geography homework.
• How much homework do you get?
• for homework I have to write up the notes for homework.
• (especially North American English) I have to finish this homework assignment .
• acquire/​get/​lack (an) education/​training/ (British English) (some) qualifications
• receive/​provide somebody with training/​tuition
• develop/​design/​plan a curriculum/ (especially British English) course/ (North American English) program/​syllabus
• give/​go to/​attend a class/​lesson/​lecture/​seminar
• hold/​run/​conduct a class/​seminar/​workshop
• sign up for/​take a course/​classes/​lessons
• go to/​start preschool/​kindergarten/​nursery school
• be in (North American English) the first, second, etc. grade/ (British English) year 1, 2. etc. (at school)
• study/​take/​drop history/​chemistry/​German, etc.
• (British English) leave/​finish/​drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
• (North American English) graduate high school/​college
• be the victim/​target of bullying
• (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/​skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
• (both especially North American English) skip/​cut class/​school
• (British English) cheat in/ (North American English) cheat on an exam/​a test
• get/​be given a detention (for doing something)
• be expelled from/​be suspended from school
• do your homework/ (British English) revision/​a project on something
• work on/​write/​do/​submit an essay/​a dissertation/​a thesis/​an assignment/ (North American English) a paper
• finish/​complete your dissertation/​thesis/​studies/​coursework
• hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/​essay/​assignment/​paper
• study/​prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/​an exam
• take/ (both British English) do/​sit a test/​an exam
• (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/​a test
• (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (especially North American English, informal) ace a test/​an exam
• pass/​fail/ (especially North American English, informal) flunk a test/​an exam/​a class/​a course/​a subject
• apply to/​get into/​go to/​start college/ (British English) university
• leave/​graduate from law school/​college/ (British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
• study for/​take/ (British English) do/​complete a law degree/​a degree in physics
• (both North American English) major/​minor in biology/​philosophy
• earn/​receive/​be awarded/​get/​have/​hold a master’s degree/​a bachelor’s degree/​a PhD in economics
• Have you finished your homework?
• Have you done your physics homework yet?
• I was helping my sister with her maths homework.
• The homework assignments are worth 10% of the final grade.
• I have some homework to do on the Civil War.
• I want you to hand in this homework on Friday.
• The science teacher always gives a lot of homework.
• They get a lot of homework in English.
• They get masses of homework at secondary school.
• We had to write out one of the exercises for homework.
• for homework
• homework  on

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

homework in American English

Homework in british english, examples of 'homework' in a sentence homework, related word partners homework, trends of homework.

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Browse alphabetically homework

• homeward journey
• homework assignment
• homework club
• homework diary
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'H'

Related terms of homework

• do homework
• school homework
• homework exercise
• View more related words

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Merriam-Webster social media post strikes a nerve with Irish users

• Published: May. 07, 2024, 8:53 a.m.
• Heather Morrison | [email protected]

Can you pronounce Siobhan?

It’s simple if you apply Irish phonetics, which is where the name is from, social media users on X, formerly known as Twitter, pointed out to Merriam-Webster.

The Springfield-based dictionary, which is known for its snarky remarks on social media, posted on X implying the name was difficult to pronounce, striking a nerve with Irish users.

“What word has the biggest disconnect between spelling and pronunciation? Asking for our friend, Siobhan,” the post read.

• Read more: Kraft lobbies dictionary company on behalf of its ‘moist’ mayonnaise

The post has since been deleted. However, social media users have been replying at the dictionary on other posts and using screen shots of the post.

“Siobhan is pronounced exactly as it’s spelt in irish. There’s no disconnect between spelling and pronunciation, unless you force a different languages pronunciation on it,” Seán Ó Raghallaigh wrote on a post that has 1.1 million views.

Siobhan is pronounced exactly as it’s spelt in irish. There’s no disconnect between spelling and pronunciation, unless you force a different languages pronunciation on it. pic.twitter.com/8gzsy44jJv — Seán Ó Raghallaigh (@RaghallaighJ) May 2, 2024

“Honestly getting sick of the constant sh** the Irish language gets because its pronunciation of words is entirely different to English. It’s a completely different language. Over 800 years of ruthless oppression yet the language still continues to exist, show some respect,” user @DallyCloud wrote.

“There’s something so heartwarming about bullying the dictionary so hard for not understanding the concept of the Irish language that they delete the post in less than a day,” user @SCHUGARandspice wrote.

The social media platform had added a note under the post with an explanation of the Irish language.

• Read more: Wanna, youse and irregardless are words, Merriam-Webster reminds Twitter users

There’s something so heartwarming about bullying the dictionary so hard for not understanding the concept of the Irish language that they delete the post in less than a day pic.twitter.com/Us0a1ZAMIf — maslow’s hierarchy of thneeds (@SCHUGARandspice) May 3, 2024

Some users shared their experience with an Irish name.

“It took me like 20 years to stop saying ‘my name is spelt wrong’ and start saying ‘it’s literally a different language,’” Roisin Kenny Caird wrote.

• Read more: Merriam-Webster, Springfield’s 190-year-old dictionary company, is trending on Twitter

Saoirse Ronan, an actress from Ireland, has had to teach people in America how to pronounce her name, including in her opening monologue of a 2017 episode of “Saturday Night Live” and during her interview on Stephen Colbert , when she also goes over how to pronounce other Irish names, including Siobhan.

MassLive has reached out to Merriam-Webster for comment.

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Definition of homework – Learner’s Dictionary

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• Go upstairs and do your homework.
• For your homework, please do exercise 3 on page 24.
• When I finish my homework, can I watch TV?
• Get on with your homework.
• She was trying to duck out of doing her homework.

(Definition of homework from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of homework

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Definition of ultimately

• sooner or later

Examples of ultimately in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ultimately.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1652, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Cite this Entry

“Ultimately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ultimately. Accessed 8 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on ultimately

Nglish: Translation of ultimately for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ultimately for Arabic Speakers

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