Afoul

The phrase run afoul of the censors often appears as a clue in crossword puzzles, including the popular Wall Street Journal (WSJ) crossword. This expression refers to situations where content, ideas, or actions come into conflict with authorities responsible for monitoring, regulating, or suppressing certain types of material. In crosswords, it is commonly used as … Read more

Running afoul of the Sultan’s Janissaries in the Ottoman Empire was a perilous matter that could mean severe punishment or even death. The Janissaries were an elite military corps, originally composed of Christian youths conscripted through the devshirme system, who were trained to serve the Sultan with absolute loyalty. Over time, they became not only … Read more