► phrasea group of words that are often used together and that have a special meaning: Darwin’s famous phrase: “survival of the fittest” I learned a few French phrases for my trip to Paris.
► expression a word or phrase that has a particular meaning: “Good luck!” is an expression used to say that you hope someone will be successful doing something.
► idiom a group of words that have a special meaning that is different from the usual meaning of each word: “Like two peas in a pod” is an idiom that means “very similar.”
► cliché a phrase that has been repeated so often that it is not interesting: It’s a cliché to say that it’s lonely at the top, but it’s also true.
► saying/proverb a phrase that many people know, that expresses a sensible idea and is used to give advice: Do you know the saying, “A penny saved is a penny earned”? It means that choosing not to spend money is like earning extra money.
► adage a well-known phrase that says something wise about human experience: Murphy’s Law is an adage that says whatever can go wrong will go wrong.
► maxim a well-known phrase that gives a rule for sensible behavior: The maxim “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched” means you shouldn’t depend on something that hasn’t happened yet.
► slogan a short phrase that is easy to remember, especially one that is used in advertising or politics: Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign used the slogan “Yes we can.”
► motto a short phrase that expresses the aims or beliefs of a person or organization: Yale University’s motto “Lux et Veritas” means “light and truth” in Latin.