Cliché

A cliché, in English, is a phrase, idea or concept which is used too much. Originally, the word meant (in French) a stereotype plate, which is a term in printing.

A cliché is a stock concept used again and again. It has "lost its freshness and vigour through overuse, and suggests insincerity, lack of thought or laziness on the part of the writer".McArthur, Tom 1992. The Oxford companion to the English language. Oxford University Press, p222. 

 Examples 
Some examples of clichéd expressions: 

eureka
leave no stone unturned
none the worse for wear
explore every avenue
food for thought
dead as a doornail
avoid like the plague
the name of the game
the bottom line
there's no smoke without fire
from time immemorial

Style guides advise writers to avoid clichés.

 References 

Category:Figures of speech
Category:Prose