Presto

Part of speech: adverb, interjection

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹɛstəʊ/

Definitions

1. A musical direction instructing to play very rapidly ; a word used to signal a quick or magical action or event
2. An instruction in music to perform at a very rapid pace ; an interjection announcing something happening swiftly or unexpectedly
3. A term in sheet music meaning to accelerate the tempo greatly ; an exclamation indicating something has occurred instantly or with surprise

Etymology: Italian "presto" meant "quickly" and "soon," and it comes from Latin "praesto," meaning "at hand" or "ready," a sense that drifted from being nearby to being prompt. English borrowed it as a musical term, where it marks a passage to be played very fast, and from there it became a word for speed in ordinary speech. Its best-known modern life is in magic, where a performer's cry of "presto!" accompanies a sudden trick, so the word has been carrying the idea of instant transformation far beyond the concert hall.

Synonyms: suddenly, quickly, immediately, instantly, promptly

Antonyms: slowly, gradually, leisurely, deliberately, tardily