do homework meaning phrase

30 Idioms for Homework

Idioms, in particular, add color and flair to our conversations. In the realm of homework, where words often reign supreme, understanding idioms can be the key to unlocking a deeper level of communication.

Let’s embark on a delightful exploration of idioms for homework – expressions that not only enhance your language skills but also make you a master of casual conversation.

Idioms for Homework

1. hit the hay.

Meaning: To go to bed or fall asleep.

In a Sentence: After a long night of studying, Sarah decided it was time to hit the hay.

Exploring idioms is like hitting the hay – it may seem mundane at first, but the rewards are truly refreshing.

2. Kick the Bucket

Meaning: To die or pass away.

In a Sentence: Sadly, my goldfish kicked the bucket after years of cheerful swimming.

Homework can sometimes feel overwhelming, but no need for it to kick the bucket – we’ll tackle it together!

3. Bite the Bullet

Meaning: To endure a painful experience or face a difficult situation.

In a Sentence: Instead of procrastinating, Amy decided to bite the bullet and finish her science project ahead of time.

Facing challenging assignments head-on is like biting the bullet – it might be tough, but the relief afterward is worth it.

4. Break the Ice

Meaning: To initiate conversation in a social setting, often to relieve tension.

In a Sentence: To ease the tension before the group project, Sam tried to break the ice with a funny joke.

Homework groups are more effective when everyone helps break the ice – it’s the first step towards collaboration.

5. Burn the Midnight Oil

Meaning: To work late into the night, usually on a project or task.

In a Sentence: Knowing the deadline was approaching, Mark had to burn the midnight oil to complete his essay.

Homework often requires burning the midnight oil, but the sense of accomplishment is worth the sacrifice.

6. Cost an Arm and a Leg

Meaning: To be very expensive or costly.

In a Sentence: Getting a new laptop for college can sometimes cost an arm and a leg.

Textbooks might cost an arm and a leg, but the knowledge gained is priceless – a fair trade in the end.

7. Cry over Spilled Milk

Meaning: To lament or worry about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.

In a Sentence: Instead of crying over spilled milk, Jake decided to focus on finding a solution to the problem.

In the world of homework, it’s essential not to cry over spilled milk – mistakes happen, and learning from them is the key.

8. Cut to the Chase

Meaning: To get to the main point without unnecessary details.

In a Sentence: When giving instructions, the teacher preferred to cut to the chase to save time.

Homework discussions are more efficient when we cut to the chase – clarity is the secret ingredient.

9. Don’t Cry over Spilled Milk

Meaning: Reiterating the importance of not worrying about past mistakes or misfortunes.

In a Sentence: “Don’t cry over spilled milk,” Mrs. Johnson reminded her students after the math test.

Homework challenges may arise, but always remember: don’t cry over spilled milk – focus on improvement.

10. Drive Someone up the Wall

Meaning: To irritate or annoy someone greatly.

In a Sentence: Sam’s constant tapping during the exam drove his classmates up the wall.

Group projects can be challenging, but constant communication helps avoid driving each other up the wall.

11. Jump on the Bandwagon

Meaning: To adopt a popular trend or activity.

In a Sentence: After witnessing the success of the study group, more students decided to jump on the bandwagon.

Homework strategies evolve – it’s okay to jump on the bandwagon of effective study methods.

12. Kick the Bucket (Again?)

Meaning: To die or pass away (Yes, we’ve got a repeat!)

In a Sentence: The old car finally kicked the bucket after years of faithful service.

Repeating the importance of not letting homework stress kick the bucket – perseverance is the key.

13. Let the Cat out of the Bag

Meaning: To reveal a secret or disclose information.

In a Sentence: Mary accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.

Homework collaborations thrive on trust – always ensure not to let the cat out of the bag inadvertently.

14. Piece of Cake

Meaning: Something very easy to do.

In a Sentence: Solving the first few math problems was a piece of cake for Alex.

Approaching homework step by step makes it feel like a piece of cake – small victories lead to big accomplishments.

15. Raining Cats and Dogs

Meaning: Raining heavily.

In a Sentence: We canceled our outdoor study session because it started raining cats and dogs.

Sometimes, adapting to unexpected challenges in homework is like dealing with a sudden downpour of cats and dogs.

16. Spill the Beans

Meaning: To disclose a secret or reveal information.

In a Sentence: Tom couldn’t resist the excitement and decided to spill the beans about the surprise quiz.

Homework collaborations rely on trust – resist the temptation to spill the beans before the right moment.

17. The Ball Is in Your Court

Meaning: It’s your responsibility to make a decision or take action.

In a Sentence: Now that you have all the information, the ball is in your court regarding the group project.

Homework assignments often end with the ball in your court – decisive actions lead to successful outcomes.

18. The Whole Nine Yards

Meaning: The entirety or completeness of something.

In a Sentence: Sarah went above and beyond, providing the whole nine yards of information for her presentation.

Strive for the whole nine yards in homework – thoroughness and attention to detail always pay off.

19. Through Thick and Thin

Meaning: Supporting someone in good times and bad.

In a Sentence: True friends stick with you through thick and thin, just like reliable study partners.

Homework journeys are smoother when you have companions who stay with you through thick and thin.

20. Throw in the Towel

Meaning: To give up or surrender.

In a Sentence: Despite the challenges, she refused to throw in the towel and kept pushing through the assignment.

Homework may be tough, but throwing in the towel is never the solution – perseverance brings success.

21. Under the Weather

Meaning: Feeling unwell or sick.

In a Sentence: James couldn’t attend the study group because he was under the weather.

Taking breaks when feeling under the weather is crucial – a rested mind tackles homework more effectively.

22. A Dime a Dozen

Meaning: Something common and easy to find.

In a Sentence: Online resources for research are a dime a dozen, but quality matters.

Homework help is abundant, but choosing the right sources is essential – quality over quantity.

23. All Ears

Meaning: Listening attentively or eagerly.

In a Sentence: When the teacher started discussing the upcoming project, the students were all ears.

Active listening is a valuable skill in homework discussions – be all ears for useful insights.

24. Burn Bridges

Meaning: To damage relationships or cut ties.

In a Sentence: Avoiding conflicts in group projects is essential to not burn bridges with your peers.

In the world of homework, collaboration is key – never burn bridges, always build connections.

25. Catch Someone’s Eye

Meaning: Attracting someone’s attention or being noticed.

In a Sentence: Her unique presentation style managed to catch the professor’s eye.

In the realm of homework, standout work is bound to catch someone’s eye – excellence is hard to ignore.

26. Hit the Nail on the Head

Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.

In a Sentence: Sarah hit the nail on the head when she pointed out the flaw in the experimental design.

Critical thinking in homework often involves hitting the nail on the head – identifying the root cause is crucial.

27. Jump on the Bandwagon (Again?)

Meaning: Adopting a popular trend or activity (Yes, another repeat!)

In a Sentence: As the semester progressed, more students decided to jump on the bandwagon of using productivity apps.

Repeating the idea that adapting to new homework strategies is like jumping on the bandwagon – staying current is key.

28. Kick the Bucket (Once More)

Meaning: To die or pass away (Another repeat, but with a twist!)

In a Sentence: The outdated study methods had to kick the bucket for the students to embrace more effective techniques.

Repeating the importance of letting old habits kick the bucket – sometimes, change is the key to success.

29. Throw in the Towel (Again?)

Meaning: To give up or surrender (One more repeat!)

In a Sentence: Despite the challenging exam, she refused to throw in the towel and sought additional help.

Repeating the idea that throwing in the towel is never the answer in homework – persistence leads to progress.

Embark on a literary journey to describe the academic task of homework using imaginative metaphors, and discover creative comparisons through similes for homework. To explore more, check out Metaphors for Homework and Similes for Homework .

In the lively world of idioms, our exploration of expressions for homework has been nothing short of enlightening. Just like the diverse idioms that color our language, approaching homework with creativity and adaptability enhances the learning experience.

Related Posts

30 idioms for kids, 30 idioms for kid.

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of homework noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

• acquire/get/lack experience/training/(an) education
• receive/provide somebody with training
• develop/design/plan a curriculum/course/program/syllabus
• give/go to/attend a class/lesson/lecture/seminar
• hold/run/conduct a class/seminar/workshop
• moderate/lead/facilitate a discussion
• sign up for/take a course/classes/lessons
• go to/start preschool/kindergarten/nursery school
• be in the first, second, etc. grade (at school)
• study/take/drop history/chemistry/German, etc.
• finish/drop out of/quit school
• graduate from high school/college
• be the victim/target of bullying/teasing
• skip/cut/ ( informal ) ditch class/school
• cheat on an exam/a test
• get/be given a detention (for doing something)
• be expelled from/be suspended from school
• do your homework/a project on something
• work on/write/do/submit an essay/a dissertation/a thesis/an assignment/a paper
• finish/complete your dissertation/thesis/studies
• hand in/turn in your homework/essay/assignment/paper
• study/prepare/review/ ( informal ) cram for a test/an exam
• take/ ( formal ) sit for a test/an exam
• grade homework/a test
• do well on/ ( informal ) ace a test/an exam
• pass/fail/ ( informal ) flunk a test/an exam/a class/a course/a subject
• apply to/get into/go to/start college
• leave/graduate from college (with a degree in computer science)/law school
• study for/work towards a law degree/a degree in physics
• major/minor in biology/philosophy
• earn/receive/be awarded/get/have/hold a master's degree/a bachelor's degree/a Ph.D. in economics

Want to learn 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 Dictionary app.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

More commonly misspelled words, your vs. you're: how to use them correctly, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, more commonly mispronounced words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), popular in wordplay, flower etymologies for your spring garden, birds say the darndest things, a great big list of bread words, 10 scrabble words without any vowels, 12 more bird names that sound like insults (and sometimes are), games & quizzes.

• Daily Crossword
• Word Puzzle
• Word Finder
• Word of the Day
• Synonym of the Day
• Word of the Year
• Language stories
• All featured
• Gender and sexuality
• All pop culture
• Writing hub
• Grammar essentials
• Commonly confused
• All writing tips
• Pop culture
• Writing tips

Advertisement

[ 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

Discover More

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.

Related Words

• arrangement
• construction
• establishment
• preparedness
• qualification

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.

Example sentences do homework

Wizards have to do homework and pass exams.

Then, with light fading, he would rush home to try to do homework from the morning school sessions.

They then rehearse and film their dance for the next episode before returning home to do homework .

They won't do homework for anything less than a skiing holiday.

I don't force them to do homework — it's their choice if they do it or not.

Definition of 'do' do

Definition of 'homework' homework

Related word partners do homework.

Browse alphabetically do homework

• do homework
• do honor to
• do honour to
• do housework
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'D'

Related terms of do homework

• do one's homework

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

English Guide

Help center

homework Definition

school work that a student is required to do at home.

Using homework: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "homework" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

I have a lot of homework to do tonight.

She always finishes her homework before watching TV.

The teacher assigned a lot of homework over the weekend.

homework Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for homework, phrases with homework, do one's homework.

to research or prepare for something, especially before making an important decision

Before investing in the stock market, it's important to do your homework and research the companies you're interested in.

homework assignment

a specific task or project given to a student to complete at home

The homework assignment for tonight is to read chapter 5 and answer the questions at the end of the chapter.

homework club

a program or group that provides a quiet and supervised environment for students to do their homework after school

The library offers a homework club for students who need help with their assignments or a quiet place to work.

Summary: homework in Brief

The term 'homework' [ˈhoʊmˌwɜrk] refers to school work that a student is required to do at home. It includes tasks like reading, writing, and problem-solving, and is often assigned by teachers. 'Homework' can be used in phrases like 'do one's homework,' meaning to research or prepare for something, and 'homework assignment,' referring to a specific task given to a student.

How do native speakers use this expression?

Words and phrases

Personal account.

• Access or purchase personal subscriptions
• Get our newsletter
• Save searches
• Set display preferences

Institutional access

Sign in with library card

Sign in with username / password

Recommend to your librarian

Institutional account management

Sign in as administrator on Oxford Academic

homework noun

• Hide all quotations

What does the noun homework mean?

There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun homework . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun homework ?

How is the noun homework pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun homework come from.

Earliest known use

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.

Nearby entries

• homeward-bounder, n. 1837–
• homeward-bound pennant, n. 1853–
• homewardly, adv. 1797–
• homewards, adv. & adj. Old English–
• homeware, n. 1782–
• home waters, n. 1838–
• home wear, n. 1836–
• home-whining, n. a1657
• home wind, n. 1732–
• home-woe, n. 1838–
• homework, n. 1653–
• homework club, n. 1900–
• homework diary, n. 1973–
• homeworker, n. 1843–
• homeworking, n. 1844–
• home-working, adj. 1850–
• home worship, n. 1849–
• homewort, n. Old English–
• home-wreck, n. 1845–
• home-wrecker, n. 1878–
• home-wrecking, n. 1878–

Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary

To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.

Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for homework, n..

homework, n. was revised in September 2011.

homework, n. was last modified in September 2023.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into homework, n. in September 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the New English Dictionary (1933)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View homework in OED Second Edition

Please submit your feedback for homework, n.

Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.

Citation details

Factsheet for homework, n., browse entry.

• All Lessons
• business english
• comprehension
• culture & tips
• expressions
• pronunciation

Expressions with DO & MAKE

The English verbs do and make are frequently confused, so pay particular attention to the expressions below. It is best to learn the expressions by heart. Some guidelines do exist to help you determine which word to use when, but in general you will not have time to think through the rules before choosing a word. The best approach is to practice, and then practice some more! When you think you have learned them, try the free quiz that appears after the lists to test yourself.

• to do a favor
• to do a project
• to do a test
• to do an assignment
• to do an exam
• to do badly
• to do business
• to do damage
• to do exercise
• to do homework
• to do housework
• to do nothing
• to do research
• to do something
• to do some letter-writing
• to do some reading
• to do some studying
• to do some writing
• to do the accounts
• to do the cleaning
• to do the dishes
• to do the ironing
• to do the laundry
• to do the math
• to do the maximum
• to do the minimum
• to do the paperwork
• to do the shopping
• to do the vacuuming
• to do your best
• to do your duty
• to do your hair
• to do your nails
• to do your job
• to do your makeup
• to do 50 miles per hour
• to make a booking
• to make a bundle
• to make a call
• to make a cake
• to make a choice
• to make a comment
• to make a complaint
• to make a compromise
• to make a deal
• to make a decision
• to make a difference
• to make a fire
• to make a fool of yourself
• to make a fortune
• to make a fuss
• to make a habit
• to make a move
• to make a phone call
• to make a point
• to make a presentation
• to make a profit
• to make a promise
• to make a remark
• to make a reservation
• to make a sales call
• to make a sound
• to make a speech
• to make a suggestion
• to make a threat
• to make a visit
• to make amends
• to make an appearance
• to make an appointment
• to make an attempt
• to make an enquiry
• to make an exception
• to make an excuse
• to make an offer
• to make arrangements
• to make believe
• to make friends
• to make fun
• to make changes
• to make corrections
• to make love
• to make money
• to make noise
• to make peace
• to make plans
• to make progress
• to make sense
• to make someone angry
• to make someone happy
• to make (someone) mad
• To make someone sad
• to make someone’s day
• to make sure
• to make time
• to make trouble
• to make dinner
• to make lunch
• to make breakfast
• to make a snack
• to make tea/coffee
• to make a mess
• to make a mistake
• to make the bed
• to make war

Test your understanding of this English lesson

• Privacy Policy

© 2024 LearnVid Inc.

Is Zionism patriotism or racism? Big disagreements over a word in use for 125 years

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

In the many debates over language surrounding the war in Gaza, few words are as controversial as “Zionism.”

Its original, most basic definition is Jewish nationalism.

For many, that equates to the right of the Jewish people to have their own state and self-determination in an ancestral homeland after centuries of oppression and ostracism in much of the world. They view anti-Zionism as a fig leaf for bigotry and antisemitism .

For others, Zionism is a form of modern-day colonialism or racist manifest destiny — the attempt to justify the seizure of contested land in the name of God.

Here’s a review of the history of the word and how competing definitions are inflaming the debate over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Where did the term come from?

The term “Zionism” first came into use in the late 1800s. It built upon “Zion,” a biblical term for Israel and Jerusalem, and the name of a site in Jerusalem where the temple most historically revered in Judaism was constructed millennia ago.

Its use was championed by a Jewish Austro-Hungarian journalist, Theodor Herzl, at the turn of the 19th century. He made it the label of a movement to send European Jews to an area eventually known as British Mandate Palestine so they could begin forming a Jewish homeland.

Outraged by what he considered the dangerous and prejudicial treatment of fellow Jews in Vienna in the late 19th century, Herzl, trained as a lawyer and a prolific writer, established the Zionist Organization, which explored the mission of creating a Jewish state. The organization eventually had branches in several European cities and attempted to lobby the mostly royal rulers of the day to make the dream of statehood come true.

“Perhaps our ambitious young men, to whom every road of advancement is now closed, and for whom the Jewish state throws open a bright prospect of freedom, happiness, and honor, perhaps they will see to it that this idea is spread,” Herzl wrote in a pamphlet called “Der Judenstaat” (the Jewish State), which outlined his vision and led to his Zionist movement. It was published in 1896.

Considered the father of political Zionism, Herzl did not live to see a Jewish state. He died of heart disease in 1904.

Did Zionism always envision statehood for Jews in what is now Israel?

In the hearts of most early-day Zionists like Herzl, the ideal was to create their Jewish state in the land between what is now Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. Yet there were other ideas.

In 1903, British colonial rulers in Africa floated the so-called Uganda plan, which would have offered a section of the East Africa Protectorate as a homeland for Jews. (The land would eventually become part of modern-day Kenya.) Some of Herzl’s followers were willing to consider this, but a visit to survey the land found it to be inhospitable.

The Soviet Union proposed a Soviet Jewish Republic in Crimea, Ukraine; Italian fascists proposed a settlement in Italian East Africa. The Nazis at one point proposed shipping Jews to Madagascar. All of those plans were rooted more in ridding the continent of Jews than in giving them a homeland.

In 1947, after World War II, the United Nations General Assembly officially partitioned British Mandate Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab one; the latter was never established. Arab powers in the region rejected the decision and not long after were at war with the new state of Israel.

World & Nation

This 5-year-old from Gaza is learning to live with one leg and untold loss

Israel-Hamas war: In Qatar’s capital, a compound housing Palestinian medical evacuees from Gaza is a living catalog of what war does to the human body.

April 24, 2024

How did the concept of anti-Zionism evolve in Soviet Russia?

In the years after Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, many Russian Jews supported and participated in the country that became known as the Soviet Union. Initially, the Soviet Union was favorable to Zionism and the creation of an Israeli state.

But strains of anti-Jewish hatred that had long raged in Imperial Russia and led to waves of pogroms in the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as discriminatory residency and employment laws from Moscow to St. Petersburg, continued to permeate sectors of Soviet society.

As the years went on, and it became clear after World War II that the emerging Israel was going to hitch its wagon to the United States and the West, anti-Zionism became a more formal policy in the Soviet Union.

(The U.S. under President Truman was the first major power to recognize Israel, in 1948; Russia did the same, but Stalin reversed the decision within a year.)

Russia was home to tens of thousands of Jews, and for decades Soviet authorities refused to permit them to emigrate to Israel.

What was ‘Protocols of the Elders of Zion’?

One of the most notorious pieces of writing aimed at spreading hate and fear of Jews, “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” was published in Russia in the early 1900s.

It was a fake document that purported to prove that Jews were a cabal sneakily trying to control the world through financial institutions, media and other centers of power. Though the text has been soundly and repeatedly discredited, copies still exist, and some of its portrayals of Jews remain frequent antisemitic tropes today.

What did Zionism come to mean for Jewish people — then and now?

Zionism to many Jewish people means, essentially, patriotism: a political ideology rooted in the establishment — and, later, promotion — of a refuge for Jews who throughout history had to escape pogroms, then a Holocaust aimed at wiping them out.

The Anti-Defamation League defines the concept this way: “Zionism is the movement for the self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland, the land of Israel. The vast majority of Jews around the world feel a connection or kinship with Israel, whether or not they explicitly identify as Zionists, and regardless of their opinions on the policies of the Israeli government.”

There is not consensus, however, among Jews today over the precise definition of Zionism.

For many, it underpins Israel’s right to exist. For the more extreme, such as settlers occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem land claimed by Palestinians, it is used to justify Jewish control of all the land, including the West Bank and Gaza Strip .

Israel’s religious right has a clear plan for Gaza: ‘We are occupying, deporting and settling’

Religious Zionists, most believing in a divine right to govern, now have outsize influence in Israel. The war in the Gaza Strip is energizing their settlement push.

March 13, 2024

How do others view Zionism?

Over time, the definition and use of the word evolved and took on negative tones among critics of Israel. The U.N. formally declared Zionism a form of racism in a 1975 resolution, which it revoked 16 years later .

To Palestinians displaced by an emerging Israel, Zionism came to symbolize racism and exclusion from what they viewed as their homeland.

Is being anti-Zionist antisemitic?

On this question, there is abundant disagreement.

Many critics of Israel or Israeli government policy say opposing the expansion of the country’s control over land claimed by Palestinians is not an anti-Jewish or antisemitic position but one of fairness.

Yet many Jews would say denying their right to an unfettered homeland is indeed antisemitic. They say it is clear that the term “anti-Zionist” is being embraced by some anti-Israel demonstrators at U.S. college campuses as a politically correct cover for antisemitic intent.

How antisemitism came roaring back into American life

Even before the Gaza war, antisemitism was on the rise. That has deeply unsettled many American Jews, accustomed to seeing the U.S. as a safe haven.

Dec. 14, 2023

How has the term been used at campus protests?

At hundreds of pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses in recent weeks, the terms “Zionism” or “Zionist” have been hurled disparagingly against Jewish students and pro-Israel demonstrators.

At UCLA this month , demonstrators stopped Jewish students at checkpoints and demanded menacingly: “Are you a Zionist?” Some said protesters of any faith were welcome but not “Zionists”; one told The Times the word refers to those who adhere to “a very violent, genocidal political ideology that is actively endangering people in Gaza.”

A group of Jewish students at Columbia University — where demonstrations were intense and led to police being called onto the Manhattan campus to break up pro-Palestinian encampments — wrote an open letter this month expressing dismay at the way the term was being bandied about.

“We proudly believe in the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in our historic homeland as a fundamental tenet of our Jewish identity,” the letter, signed by several hundred students, stated. “Contrary to what many have tried to sell you — no, Judaism cannot be separated from Israel. Zionism is, simply put, the manifestation of that belief.

“We are proud to be Jews, and we are proud to be Zionists,” the students wrote.

In many cases, it seems that the competing definitions have made use of such a misunderstood word problematic.

Ned Lazarus, an international affairs professor at George Washington University in the nation’s capital, said “Zionism” is now used as a litmus test by both sides with an array of sometimes contradictory criteria and components, erupting into a war of narratives and becoming weaponized.

“It should be a question to open a conversation,” Lazarus said, “not shut it down.”

More to Read

Opinion: 30 years ago, Grace Paley foresaw today’s clash over antisemitism

May 22, 2024

Opinion: No, the Israeli-Palestinian divide is not unbridgeable. Here’s how I know

May 20, 2024

A Palestinian converted to Judaism. An Israeli soldier saw him as a threat and opened fire

May 16, 2024

Start your day right

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Tracy Wilkinson covers foreign affairs from the Los Angeles Times’ Washington, D.C., bureau.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Police descend on UCLA after protesters erect new pro-Palestinian encampment

May 23, 2024

Graduates walk out of Harvard commencement chanting ‘Free, free Palestine’

‘You should be ashamed,’ congresswoman rails against UCLA chancellor during antisemitism hearing

A rift grows in Europe over recognizing Palestinian state

Opinion ‘Salacious’ and other words that don’t quite mean what people think

Certain words — “coruscating,” “pulchritude,” “bemused” — don’t mean what many people think they do.

Benjamin Dreyer, the former executive managing editor and copy chief at Random House, is the author of “ Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style .”

If there’s anything the world learned regarding the testimony of adult-film actress Stormy Daniels in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York, it’s that her story was salacious . Daniels was “the bringer of salacious detail” ( New York Times ), she provided “salacious testimony” ( The Post ) and listeners whispered “about a particularly salacious detail” ( NBC News ).

But was it indeed salacious? Our friends at Merriam-Webster say that the word means “arousing or appealing to sexual desire or imagination.” That doesn’t sound to me like what was going on in the courtroom. Was the testimony explicit? Sure. Lurid, most definitely. Depressingly squalid, you bet. But not, I’d say, salacious.

The disconnect was just another example of what I have long thought of as Redefinition by Misapprehended Inference. It’s the means by which numerous people repeatedly hear or see a word used in a perfectly standard context but then misunderstand, a little or a lot, what was in fact meant, and then carry that misapprehension forward, contributing to its widespread use.

That’s how repeated references, across many years, to “coruscating wit” have led to the increasingly common impression that “coruscating” means something like “direly and viciously critical” — in part because what is wit if it isn’t wielded to insult and put down? (sigh) — and also, certainly, because the word literally looks as if it means corrosive and scathing, with a side order of excoriating.

But what does “coruscating” actually mean ? Sparkling.

Just that. Simply: sparkling.

Or it’s the means by which the sight of the phrase “feminine pulchritude” has led to the notion — based, I presume, on the tastes of a reasonable portion of the American population — that “pulchritude” is a fancy way of saying buxomness, when all the word means is beauty .

Now, if you’re of the school that subscribes to the notion that all words mean what some people think they mean — a school in which I never enrolled — then I’ve probably already lost you. You’re welcome to use “bemused” to mean wryly amused , as if wearing a bow tie and sipping a martini , “nonplussed” to mean cool as a cucumber and “penultimate” to mean wow, like, ultimate to the max, dude , when what they truly (pardon me: traditionally) mean is, respectively, “confused and bewildered,” “unsure and perplexed” and “second to last.” (There’s also “antepenultimate,” referring not to your dad’s wonderful sister, but meaning “the one that comes before second to last.”)

As to “salacious,” then, I can only imagine that hearing countless novels and movies (have you seen Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” ?) referred to as salacious might lead one to guiltily assume that anything sexual, even if it’s grimly mercenary and barely consensual, can be described as salacious.

And yet: One of the upsides to there being far more words in the English language than any of us can make use of is that, if one truly delves, one can find the word that means precisely what one wants and needs it to mean, rather than nearly what one means — or not even vaguely what one means.

All you have to do is look (it up).

About guest opinion submissions

The Washington Post accepts opinion articles on any topic. We welcome submissions on local, national and international issues. We publish work that varies in length and format, including multimedia. Submit a guest opinion or read our guide to writing an opinion article .

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of homework – Learner’s Dictionary

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

• 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

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

a long trip or holiday taken by car

Apples and oranges (Talking about differences, Part 2)

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• do your homework
• Translations
• All translations

To add homework to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add homework to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.