Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
From Italian presto (“quickly”).
From Italian presto (“quickly”).
Then comes the chance to become a governess, first in St. John’s Wood, then, in a Sussex country house. And presto! Bronwen is transformed into “a wild tornado” hotly pursued by two Messrs. Right.1975 November 16, “Moment of Truth”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
So I put my hand into the hat and presto! Out comes a rabbit!
You know the old man's ivory leg, well I dreamed he kicked me with it ; and when I tried to kick back, upon my soul, my little man, I kicked my leg right off! And then, presto! Ahab seemed a pyramid, and I, like a blazing fool, kept kicking at it.1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 31, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 142:
presto chango · hey presto · presto change-o
abracadabra · presto chango · hey pass · alakazam · hocus-pocus · presto · shablam · shazam · alakazam · hocus-pocus · kazaam · hey presto
pl czary-mary (used by magicians) · pt pronto! (used by magicians) · pl hokus-pokus (used by magicians) · pl bim sala bim (used by magicians) · pl abrakadabra (used by magicians)
From Italian presto (“quickly”).