Five hundred years ago, if I had called one of my students "a shrewd lad with dogged ambition," he might have left the classroom in tears. Back in 1526, "shrewd" meant hurtful, a "lad" was a lowly ...

Explore the meaning of 'cajole,' from its chattering French origins to its role as the art of gentle persuasion. Learn how to ...

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters. At Vox, our mission is to help you make sense of the world — and that work has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own. We ...