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.

Certain stock phrases originate from TV, films, or video games, and soon become a part of popular culture.

Examples include "Where's the Beef?," "Everybody wang chung tonight[?]", or "All your base are belong to us".

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To learn the meaning of a given stock phrase, consult a dictionary, such as the Wiktionary (http://www.wiktionary.org).

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Similar to a stock phrase are catch phrase, slang, idiom, and jargon.