Stock phrase
A stock phrase is a spoken phrase which has little or no actual meaning of its own; it carries meaning only through custom or context.Typical stock phrases are:
- "Have a nice day" - which may be spoken by a convenience store clerk in the middle of the night
- "No problem" - which may be used as a reply to "thank you" (Literally saying, "my labor was not significant")
- "Whatever" - which may be used to indicate that the speaker doesn't wish to continue the conversation.
To learn the meaning of a given stock phrase, consult a dictionary, such as the Wiktionary.
Similar to a stock phrase are catch phrase, slang, idiom, and jargon.
