I have heard "go by" before in the sense of using a minor occasion as a practice for a big one, for example if the Mayoress comes to your school to present your sports day prizes you might use it to make sure everything works properly for when the Queen or President as the case may be comes for whatever reason.

Make bold, no not a wow coinage. I've definitely heard it -- almost always as "I might make bold to say ....."

Bingley


Bingley