So to speak Italian in response, knight wanted guide's backing
'so to speak' is the definition.
(synonyms)
I don't understand the remainder of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for as it were that I've seen before include "Seemingly" , "you might say" , "In sort of" , "Historically ungrammatical" , "As if it was actually so" .)
(Another definition for asitwere that I've seen is " so to speak".)