We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

Before the creation of synthetic plastics, patent leather was made by glazing animal hides with layers of resin-based varnish. The coating protected items like boots and carriage parts from wear and ...

From David Lynch to Queen Elizabeth I, these folks achieved a type of lexical immortality when their names became adjectives.

The gas station doesn’t know how much fuel you’re going to buy when you pay at the pump. To make sure you have enough funds ...

Getting that campfire smoke smell out of your clothes isn’t as hard as it might seem, thanks to these tips and tricks.

Japan’s geisha are experts in their field, but they’re often treated like tourist attractions. See why Kyoto officials have had to crack down on tourist photos.

Whether you believe a customer is always right probably depends on which side of the counter you’re on. For shoppers, having a merchant who’s quick to rectify mistakes and listen to concerns ...

From pop royalty to prog-rock gods, here are the household names who decided against showing up to the pop cultural ...

Walking isn’t just the most classic mode of human transportation: it’s also one of the healthiest, cheapest, and most sustainable. That’s why nearly 80 percent of those polled in a National ...

Chaco Canyon was once the vibrant religious center of a Native American culture whose collapse long remained a mystery—until pack rat middens revealed an important clue.

Sometimes, you need a fresh start. One of the most extreme ways to start anew is to move to another state. The real estate website View Homes recently revealed the best states to relocate to and ...

The term ball peen hammer first saw print in 1874, when a mechanic’s dictionary referred to it as a “metal worker’s hammer ...