Learn English – What does “down with homework” mean

jokesmeaningphrasessociolinguistics

I was watching The Simpson series. In season 7, episode 12, Bart exposes a t-shirt on which the phrase "DOWN WITH HOMEWORK" is written. Then the entire students in the classroom start a riot all of a sudden.

The "down with homework" phrase on Bart's t-shirt

What does this phrase mean? Why does it start a school riot?

Best Answer

"Down with" is simply an idiom, used to express negative emotions toward something. A close cousin of "Down with homework" could be "Say no to homework". You might hear protesters use this kind of language while chanting at a demonstration (it's short, and to the point); it also makes it way onto T-shirts, and even magazine covers from time to time.