A stock phrase phrase
A phrase that has been used so often that is often considered uninteresting or deemed as a sign of bad writing.
Since the teacher will give higher marks to creative students, you should avoid using this stock phrase.
I didn't even bother reading his essay when I saw the stock phrase "In a nutshell".
If the examiner sees some stock phrases in your writing, you will lose points in the criteria called "task response and lexical resource."
The origin of this phrase is not clear.
Be very nearly or inevitably lost, departed or deceased
He is in terminal cancer so I’m afraid he is as good as gone.