Obs. [see BY- 2 c, 3 c.] An incidental or casual speech: an indirect utterance or allusion; an obiter dictum; an ‘aside.’
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., III. (1632), 135. Their common practice is to quote by-speeches in some historicall narration.
1625. K. Long, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, II. vii. 83. His wife … would many times cast out by-speeches of Arsidas.
