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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 29 Aug. 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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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

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

  • 2 ( informal ) work that someone does to prepare for something You could tell that he had really done his homework (= found out all he needed to know) .

Nearby words

Look up a word, learn it forever.

/ˌhoʊmˈwʌrk/.

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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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

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homework noun

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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–

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Meaning & use

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

homework, n. was revised in September 2011.

homework, n. was last modified in July 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 July 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.

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home•work

An assignment is a task that someone is given to do, usually as part of their job.

An assignment is also a piece of academic work given to students.

In American English, an assignment is also a piece of work given to students to do at home.

Work given to schoolchildren to do at home is also called homework .

Be Careful! Homework is an uncountable noun. You do not talk about 'homeworks' or 'a homework'. Note that you do not say ' I have made my homework '. You say 'I have done my homework'.

Homework is work that school pupils are given to do at home. You say that pupils do homework. Don't say that they ' make homework '.

Housework is work such as cleaning or washing that is done in a house.

Be Careful! Both homework and housework are uncountable nouns. Don't talk about ' a homework ' or ' houseworks '.

- preparatory school work done outside school (especially at home) , , - a school task performed by a student to satisfy the teacher , , , , , - the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill; "he received no formal education"; "our instruction was carefully programmed"; "good classroom teaching is seldom rewarded"
  • assignability
  • best of all
  • brain-teaser
  • change magnitude
  • concentrate
  • homeshoring
  • homesickness
  • Home-speaking
  • Homestead Act
  • homestead exemption
  • homestead law
  • homesteader
  • homesteading
  • homestretch
  • Homeward bound
  • homeward(s)
  • homeward-bound
  • homework problem
  • homeworking
  • homewrecker
  • homichlophobia
  • homicide bomber
  • Homicide by misadventure
  • homicidomania
  • homiletical
  • homing adaptor
  • homing device
  • homing guidance
  • hometraining
  • Hometronic Internet Module
  • HomeVestors of America, Inc.
  • Homeward Bound
  • Homeward Bound (disambiguation)
  • Homeward Bound Animal Rescue Inc.
  • Homeward Bound Greyhound Association
  • Homeward Bound Theatre Company
  • Homeward Trail Bible Camp
  • homeward-boundly
  • Homewood City Schools
  • Homewood Institutional Review Board
  • Homewood Maitland Safety Association
  • Homewood Musical Instrument Co.
  • Homewood-Flossmoor Swim Club, Inc.
  • Homework Access Line
  • Homework assignment
  • Homework Assistance Hotline
  • Homework Center
  • Homework Diary
  • Homework help
  • Homework hotline
  • Homeworkers
  • Homeworkers Organized for More Employment
  • Homeworkers' Union and Small Business Association
  • Homeworking
  • Homeworld 2
  • Homewrecker
  • Homewrecker (MTV series)
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in homework meaning

Does 'Homework' Spelled Backwards Mean 'Child Abuse' in Latin?

Thousands of languages have existed throughout the history of humanity. there is no evidence the word "krowemoh" ever belonged to any of them., alex kasprak, published jan. 31, 2021.

False

About this rating

The claim that the word "homework" spelled backwards translates to "child abuse" in Latin has been a feature of the internet since at least March 2013 . In January 2021, a Reddit thread brought the assertion renewed interest .

The claim is false. The word "krowemoh" does not exist in the Latin language. In fact, not even the character "W" existed in Latin, whose alphabet contained 23 characters . Latin, the language of the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church, had largely died out by the 6th century AD — replaced by regional dialects that would ultimately become the Romance languages of Europe.

A form of the character W was first used around the 7th century AD, because the Latin alphabet did not have a character to represent the sound /w/ spoken in Germanic and old English languages. As a solution, writers began using "uu" (or "vv" as u and v referred to the same character in the classical Latin alphabet) to represent the sound /w/. The character we now know as "W" did not see widespread use until the 1500s , well after Latin-speaking humans were creating new words in that language.

All of this is to say that "krowemoh" is not a word and it certainly does not mean "child abuse" in Latin or any other language we are aware of.

By Alex Kasprak

Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime.

7 minute read

Purpose, Public Attitudes toward Homework, The Positive and Negative Effects of Homework, Extensiveness of Homework

Homework is defined as tasks assigned to students by school teachers that are intended to be carried out during nonschool hours. This definition excludes in-school guided study (although homework is often worked on during school), home-study courses, and extracurricular activities such as sports teams and clubs.

The most common purpose of homework is to have students practice material already presented in class so as to reinforce learning and facilitate mastery of specific skills. Preparation assignments introduce the material that will be presented in future lessons. These assignments aim to help students obtain the maximum benefit when the new material is covered in class. Extension homework involves the transfer of previously learned skills to new situations. For example, students might learn in class about factors that led to the French Revolution and then be asked as homework to apply them to the American Revolution. Finally, integration homework requires the student to apply separately learned skills to produce a single product, such as book reports, science projects, or creative writing.

Homework also can serve purposes that do not relate directly to instruction. Homework can be used to (1) establish communication between parents and children; (2) fulfill directives from school administrators; (3) punish students; and (4) inform parents about what is going on in school. Most homework assignments have elements of several different purposes.

Public Attitudes toward Homework

Homework has been a part of student's lives since the beginning of formal schooling in the United States. However, the practice has been alternately accepted and rejected by educators and parents.

When the twentieth century began, the mind was viewed as a muscle that could be strengthened through mental exercise. Since this exercise could be done at home, homework was viewed favorably. During the 1940s, the emphasis in education shifted from drill to problem solving. Homework fell out of favor because it was closely associated with the repetition of material. The launch of the satellite Sputnik by the Soviet Union in the mid-1950s reversed this thinking. The American public worried that education lacked rigor and left children unprepared for complex technologies. Homework, it was believed, could accelerate knowledge acquisition.

The late 1960s witnessed yet another reversal. Educators and parents became concerned that homework was crowding out social experience, outdoor recreation, and creative activities. In the 1980s, homework once again leapt back into favor when A Nation at Risk (1983), the report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education, cited homework as a defense against the rising tide of mediocrity in American education. The push for more homework continued into the 1990s, fueled by increasingly rigorous state-mandated academic standards. As the century ended, a backlash against homework set in, led by parents concerned about too much stress on their children.

The Positive and Negative Effects of Homework

The most direct positive effect of homework is that it can improve retention and understanding. More indirectly, homework can improve students' study skills and attitudes toward school, and teach students that learning can take place anywhere, not just in school buildings. The nonacademic benefits of homework include fostering independence and responsibility. Finally, homework can involve parents in the school process, enhancing their appreciation of education, and allowing them to express positive attitudes toward the value of school success.

Conversely, educators and parents worry that students will grow bored if they are required to spend too much time on academic material. Homework can deny access to leisure time and community activities that also teach important life skills. Parent involvement in homework can turn into parent interference. For example, parents can confuse children if the instructional techniques they use differ from those used by teachers. Homework can actually lead to the acquisition of undesirable character traits if it promotes cheating, either through the copying of assignments or help with homework that goes beyond tutoring. Finally, homework could accentuate existing social inequities. Children from disadvantaged homes may have more difficulty completing assignments than their middle-class counterparts.

Extensiveness of Homework

In contrast to the shifts in public attitudes, surveys suggest that the amount of time students spend on homework has been relatively stable. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress suggests that in both 1984 and 1994, about one-third of nine-year-olds and one-quarter of thirteen-and seventeen-year-olds reported being assigned no homework at all, with an additional 5 percent to 10 percent admitting they did not do homework that was assigned. About one-half of nine-year-olds, one-third of thirteen-year-olds, and one-quarter of seventeen-year-olds said they did less than an hour of homework each night. In 1994 about 12 percent of nine-year-olds, 28 percent of thirteen-year-olds, and 26 percent of seventeen-year-olds said they did one to two hours of homework each night. These percentages were all within one point of the 1984 survey results.

A national survey of parents conducted by the polling agency Public Agenda, in October, 2000, revealed that 64 percent of parents felt their child was getting "about the right amount" of homework, 25 percent felt their child was getting "too little" homework, and only 10 percent felt "too much homework" was being assigned.

International comparisons often suggest that U.S. students spend less time on homework than students in other industrialized nations. However, direct comparisons across countries are difficult to interpret because of different definitions of homework and differences in the length of the school day and year.

Appropriate Amounts of Homework

Experts agree that the amount and type of homework should depend on the developmental level of the student. The National PTA and the National Education Association suggest that homework for children in grades K–2 is most effective when it does not exceed ten to twenty minutes each day. In grades three through six, children can benefit from thirty to sixty minutes daily. Junior high and high school students can benefit from more time on homework and the amount might vary from night to night. These recommendations are consistent with the conclusions reached by studies into the effectiveness of homework.

Research on Homework's Overall Effectiveness

Three types of studies have been used to examine the relationship between homework and academic achievement. One type compares students who receive homework with students who receive none. Generally, these studies reveal homework to be a positive influence on achievement. However, they also reveal a relationship between homework and achievement for high school students that is about twice as strong as for junior high students. The relationship at the elementary school level is only one-quarter that of the high school level.

Another type of study compares homework to in-class supervised study. Overall, the positive relationship is about half as strong as in the first type of study. These studies again reveal a strong grade-level effect. When homework and in-class study were compared in elementary schools, in-class study proved superior.

The third type of study correlates the amount of homework students say they complete with their achievement test scores. Again, these surveys show the relationship is influenced by the grade level of students. For students in primary grades, the correlation between time spent on homework and achievement is near zero. For students in middle and junior high school, the correlation suggests a positive but weak relationship. For high school students, the correlation suggests a moderate relationship between achievement and time spend on homework.

Research on Effective Homework Assignments

The subject matter shows no consistent relationship to the value of homework. It appears that shorter and more frequent assignments may be more effective than longer but fewer assignments. Assignments that involve review and preparation are more effective than homework that focuses only on material covered in class on the day of the assignments. It can be beneficial to involve parents in homework when young children are experiencing problems in school. Older students and students doing well in school have more to gain from homework when it promotes independent learning.

Homework can be an effective instructional device. However, the relationship between homework and achievement is influenced greatly by the students' developmental level. Expectations for home work's effects, especially in the short term and in earlier grades, must be modest. Further, homework can have both positive and negative effects. Educators and parents should not be concerned with which list of homework effects is correct. Rather, homework policies and practices should give individual schools and teachers flexibility to take into account the unique needs and circumstances of their students so as to maximize positive effects and minimize negative ones.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

C AMPBELL , J AY R. ; R EESE , C LYDE M. ; O'S ULLIVAN, C HRISTINE; and D OSSEY , J OHN A. 1996. NAEP 1994 Trends in Academic Progress. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

C OOPER , H ARRIS. 2001. The Battle Over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents, 2nd edition. Newbury Park, CA: Corwin Press.

C OOPER , H ARRIS, and V ALENTINE , J. C., eds. 2001. "Homework: A Special Issue." Educational Psychologist 36 (3).

INTERNET RESOURCES

H ENDERSON , M. 1996. "Helping Your Student Get the Most Out of Homework." Chicago: National PTA and the National Education Association. < www.pta.org/Programs/edulibr/homework. htm >.

P UBLIC A GENDA. 2000. "Survey Finds Little Sign of Backlash Against Academic Standards or Standardized Tests." < www.publicagenda.org/aboutpa/aboutpa3ee.htm >

H ARRIS C OOPER

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noun as in assignment

Strongest matches

  • appointment

Strong matches

noun as in drill

  • conditioning
  • preparation
  • constitutional
  • instruction
  • run through

Weak matches

  • daily dozen
  • learning by doing

noun as in lesson

noun as in practice

noun as in preparation

  • arrangement
  • construction
  • establishment
  • preparedness
  • qualification
  • anticipation
  • expectation
  • manufacture
  • substructure
  • getting ready
  • making ready
  • putting in order

noun as in revision

  • improvement
  • modification
  • reconsideration
  • reexamination
  • rectification
  • retrospection
  • overhauling

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

Words related to homework are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word homework . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

noun as in responsibility, task

noun as in practice, exercise

noun as in information taught

noun as in exercise, application

Viewing 5 / 7 related words

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

Online Language Dictionaries

'; audChoice = audChoice.replace(/ selected=["']selected["']/gm, '');var audT = document.getElementById('audT');if ((audT) && (audPref)) { //Parse the content if(audPref.indexOf(':') > -1) { var audPrefAccent = audPref.split(':')[0]; var playbackRate = audPref.split(':')[1]; } else { var audPrefAccent = audPref; var playbackRate = 1; } var re = new RegExp('( UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈhəʊmwɜː k/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(hōm wûrk′) | | | | | | |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024
home•work      n. [ ] schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom:complaining about too much homework.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024
home•work   wûrk′),USA pronunciation n.  schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom ( ). paid work done at home, as piecework. + work 1675–85
/ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/ n ' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations): - - - - - - - - - - - - - , , , , , , , , [math, physics, English] homework, a homework assignment, did you finish your homework?,

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Cambridge Dictionary

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Meaning 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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a day that you spend somewhere that is not your home or usual place of work

It’s not really my thing (How to say you don’t like something)

It’s not really my thing (How to say you don’t like something)

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"Turn in" vs. "Hand in"

In the context of submitting your work to your boss, which is the right phrase to use 'turn in' or 'hand in'? And why? And how are they used differently in other contexts?

"He always hands in his work late." "He always turns in his work late."
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  • 1 Which dictionaries did you check? What specific thing(s) about the definitions that you found caused you trouble? The Oxford dictionary and many others have phrasal verbs and figures of speech--and example sentences. –  user6951 Commented May 8, 2015 at 14:35
  • @pazzo: your link seems broken? –  Stephie Commented May 8, 2015 at 15:18
  • Oxford dictionary or thefreedictionary , or: Onelook dictionary , which returns results from over a dozen dictionaries.. –  user6951 Commented May 8, 2015 at 15:29
  • 3 Of the top of my head (as an AmE speaker), I'd think that those two usages are in competition with each other, which means that there is a large amount of overlap in usage. There probably are some specific contexts where only one or the other is acceptable. Acceptability might also depend on regional and/or register and/or style considerations. "Hands in" might sometimes have a personal or physical connotation to it, while "Turns in" might be more of a general expression. Maybe someone will write an answer that dives in more deeply into this. :) –  F.E. Commented May 8, 2015 at 15:45

2 Answers 2

In British English, the correct phrase is hand in .

From Macmillan dictionary :

hand in phrasal verb (transitive) to give something to a person in authority Please hand in your keys when you leave the hotel. All essays must be handed in by Tuesday.

In American English, you can use either hand in, or turn in :

turn in phrasal verb ᴍᴀɪɴʟʏ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀɴ to give something to the person who has officially asked for it or who is in charge turn in something to someone : Mitro turned in his resignation to the President.

There is a subtle difference between the two - you can turn something in only if it has been specifically asked for (you wouldn't normally talk about turning in your keys as in the "hand in" example, unless perhaps you mistakenly ran off with them and needed to turn them in later) or you are giving the thing to a superior.

So, for example:

  • Please turn in all borrowed equipment
  • When I found a stranger's wallet on the street, I handed it in
  • I have done my homework, and turned it in

Community's user avatar

  • 1 Downvoter please turn yourself in ;) –  starsplusplus Commented May 8, 2015 at 14:33
  • -1 The ODO British & World English dictionary says otherwise. –  user6951 Commented May 8, 2015 at 14:36
  • @pazzo? As a native BrE speaker, my first thought was "turn in sounds American" before I went and found a corroborating source. Perhaps if you link to the place it says something different (and explain which "otherwise" you mean!), we could clear this up the confusion? –  starsplusplus Commented May 8, 2015 at 14:38
  • Yes, ODO BrE has for both give something to someone in authority . –  user6951 Commented May 8, 2015 at 14:44
  • @pazzo I'm not sure if this is the dictionary you mean when you simply say "ODO BrE" (it was the top result when I Googled for it, but it has the wrong initials), but the only definition it lists for turn in is to go to bed for the night. –  starsplusplus Commented May 8, 2015 at 14:49

Macmillan Dictionary says that both have one common meaning.

to give something to the person who has officially asked for it or who is in charge
to give something to a person in authority

If you see the subtlety, the former one is used when someone has asked you for something, as in your example. The boss has asked you for that work.

In the latter example, you give something to a person in authority--say--your resignation. They did not ask it, but you submitted and submitted to the higher authority.

Said that, if we go by MM , 'turn in' fits in your example. Because it talks about the tasks were allotted to the employees 'he' and 'she'.

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  8. HOMEWORK definition in American English

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  23. hand in

    Macmillan Dictionary says that both have one common meaning. turn in. to give something to the person who has officially asked for it or who is in charge. and... hand in. to give something to a person in authority. If you see the subtlety, the former one is used when someone has asked you for something, as in your example.