Manner of speaking

A manner of speaking is e.g. a way of phrasing things. A manner of speaking is often a la mode. 
See: Phraseology 
‘In a manner of speaking’ 
* Often used as an accompaniment to a metaphor or a play on words.
* 
==== Synonyms: so to speak, As it were, figuratively speaking, in a manner, in a way, in a certain respect. ====
See: Speech patterns
"In our three years of friendship, he’d never done that. Ever. He remembered conversations if I brought them up, but he’d never brought them up himself. That was when I knew something was wrong. Because he varied his speech pattern." [Weidenbenner 13]