"A Pig in a Poke"

A pig in a poke is an item or an idea that seems to be one thing but might well contain something different. In medieval England, small pigs were sold at market in pokes, or little bags. At times, however, some crafty farmers took to putting a cat in the bag and tried to sucker someone into buying the pig without looking inside the poke. If they looked, the farmer would warn, the pig might run away. Those skeptics who did look invariably "let the cat out of the bag."

"The Whole Nine Yards"?

"She had clowns, ponies--that kid's party went the whole nine yards." Is there some sport where nine yards is a lot of yards? If not, why is the whole nine yards used as an example of generous excess? One theory is that the phrase originally referred to the amount of fabric on an entire bolt of cloth. For a particularly elaborate garment, all nine yards of cloth would be used.

"Angst"

You're 14, and you just realized you've bought the wrong kind of sneakers. Or your 24, and you don't know what you're doing with your life. Angst is German for "anguish" and signifies psychological suffering. The word is sometimes prefaced by "existential," which gives it a deeper, more troubled tone. If you suffer from existential angst, you don't need the sneakers to turn you into an anguished puddle. The mere fact of existing in this world is torment enough.

"Flotsam' and 'Jetsam'"

Flotsam and jetsam is a fancy way to refer to junk, waste or unimportant loose ends. The term refers to cargo from a ship that ends up in the sea. Flotsam is goods lost in a wreck that float on the water. Jetsam is goods tossed overboard (jettisoned) in order to stabilize a ship. Jetsam sinks. According to maritime law, flotsam and jetsam forever belong to their original owner, but if someone else finds the stuff, he or she is entitled to a salvage award.