manner of speaking

“But to see how a man's tombes are at the mercy of such a fellow, that for sixpence he would, (as his owne words were,) "I will justle them together but I will make room for him;" speaking of the fulness of the middle isle, where he was to lie; and that he would, for my father's sake, do my brother that is dead all the civility he can; which was to disturb other corps that are not quite rotten, to make room for him; and methought his manner of speaking it was very remarkable; as of a thing that now was in his power to do a man a courtesy or not.”

The Diary of Samuel Pepys, March 1663/64

“The quietness and usual manner of speaking and looking of Dr. Orkborne, which he had remarked, removed any immediate apprehensions from the assertions of Jacob and Mary; but still he did not like the suggestion; and the carrying off so many books, when he acknowledged he did not mean to read one of them, disturbed him.”

Camilla: or, A Picture of Youth

“Some think that this saying of Jesus to be the Lord is to be restrained unto the manner of speaking afterward insisted on; [5] for the apostle in the following verses treateth of those extraordinary gifts which many in that church were then endowed withal.”

Pneumatologia

“Fisher-folk in a manner of speaking — her father never did a stroke of work if he could help it.”

Death of a Harbormaster

“His manner of speaking was rather slow than otherwise, and perfectly distinct; he waited with great patience and kindness for my answers to his questions, and a reference to Count Bertrand was necessary only once during the whole conversation.”

The Memoirs of Napoleon

“Mrs. Rossitur's manner of speaking and thanking him quite charmed Seth, and he went away with a kindly feeling towards those gentle, bright eves, which he never forgot.”

Queechy