BY THE BYE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does by the bye mean? 

• BY THE BYE (adverb)
  The adverb BY THE BYE has 1 sense:

1. introducing a different topic

  Familiarity information: BY THE BYE used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BY THE BYE (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Introducing a different topic

Synonyms:

apropos; by the bye; by the way; incidentally

Context example:

incidentally, I won't go to the party

 Context examples 

And, by the bye, every body ought to have two pair of spectacles; they should indeed.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

By the bye, Flora Ross was dying for Henry the first winter she came out.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Perhaps it is about Miss Williams and, by the bye, I dare say it is, because he looked so conscious when I mentioned her.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

By the bye, I must mind not to rise on your hearth with only a glass of water then: I must bring an egg at the least, to say nothing of fried ham.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Well, and so we breakfasted at ten as usual; I thought it would never be over; for, by the bye, you are to understand, that my uncle and aunt were horrid unpleasant all the time I was with them.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

She had engaged to go as governess to Mrs. Smallridge's children—a dear friend of Mrs. Elton's—a neighbour of Maple Grove; and, by the bye, I wonder how Mrs. Elton bears the disappointment?

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But there he is, and, by the bye, his absence may sufficiently account for any remissness of his sister's in writing, for there has been no 'Well, Mary, when do you write to Fanny? Is not it time for you to write to Fanny?' to spur me on.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Kitty and me were to spend the day there, and Mrs. Forster promised to have a little dance in the evening; (by the bye, Mrs. Forster and me are such friends!) and so she asked the two Harringtons to come, but Harriet was ill, and so Pen was forced to come by herself; and then, what do you think we did?

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

By the bye, that is almost enough to put one out of conceit with a niece.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

By the bye, I looked in upon them five minutes ago, and it happened to be exactly at one of the times when they were trying not to embrace, and Mr. Rushworth was with me.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)