presto
pronunciation
How to pronounce presto in British English:
UK [ˈprestəʊ]
How to pronounce presto in American English:
US [ˈprestoʊ]
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- Adjective:
- (of tempo) very fast
-
- Adverb:
- suddenly
- at a very fast tempo (faster than allegro)
Word Origin
- presto
- presto: see press
- presto (adv.)
- 1590s, "quickly," used by conjurers, etc., from Italian presto "quick, quickly" in conjuror's patter, from Latin praestus "ready," praesto (adv.) "ready, available," from prae "before" (see pre-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Compare Latin praesto esse "to be at hand, be ready," source of French prêt "ready." As a musical direction, it is a separate borrowing from Italian, first recorded 1683.
Example
- 1. Presto , you have your rank on the american wealth ladder .
- 2. I thought I could take a boat , and presto !
- 3. Presto verilog cannot infer flip-flops with multiple clock inputs .
- 4. I just turn the piece of wire in the lock and hey presto .
- 5. And unlike what some people seem to believe , presto was actually designed from the ground up with compatibility in mind .