Side-issue meaning

Wagnerian harmony is, then, neither a side-issue nor a progress per saltum, but a leading current in the stream of musical evolution.

Boulenger's phylogenetic system stands as follows: Viperidae Uropeltidae C. Opisthoglypha C. Proteroglypha Amblycephalidae mandible to the aglyphous or innocuous Colubridae, whence further differentiation in three new lines has taken place, - (i) the harmless Amblycephalidae as a side-issue, (2) the very poisonous proteroglyphous Elapidae, (3) the moderately or incipiently poisonous Opisthoglypha, out of some of which seem to have arisen the venomous Viperidae.

This was a mere side-issue, destined to draw Wellington's attention waterloo: to his right, and in this it failed.

These anomalies, however confusing to the general reader, in fact cause no appreciable trouble to important makers or users of iron and steel, beyond forming an occasional side-issue in litigation.

The ministry ultimatelyexperienced defeat on a side issue.