as the saying goes
Invoking collective wisdom
As the saying goes introduces a well-known proverb, maxim, or familiar expression: As the saying goes, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
The phrase signals that what follows is conventional wisdom rather than the speaker's original thought.
It can frame clichés with mild irony or acknowledge that an expression, though worn, fits the situation.
- so to speakPhrase signaling loose usage
- adageTraditional pithy truth
- aphorismTerse general truth
- wise wordsThoughtful, valuable guidance
- pearls of wisdomPrecious insights shared
maxim · folk wisdom · old wives' tale · oral tradition · word of mouth · proverb · quotation · idiom · turn of phrase · folklore · cliché · figure of speech · allusion · storytelling · truism · analogy · platitude · axiom