presto
Tempo beyond allegro
Presto was traditionally uttered by magicians at the completion of a magic trick.
People use it to suggest that something has happened suddenly, as if by magic.
Rate of musical performance
- allegroBrisk tempo marking
- vivaceLively musical tempo
- fortissimoVery loud, musically
- staccatoShort, separated note style
legato · andante · adagio · largo · pianissimo · crescendo · maestro · conductor
Spell-casting utterance
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
- illusionMisleading sensory impression
- trickDeliberate deception
- sleightDexterous trickery
vanish · appear · transformation · wand · hat · magician · illusionist · hocus-pocus
Briefest unit of time
- immediateHappening without delay
- suddenOccurring without prior notice
- quickMoving with speed
- rapidMoving with haste
swift · flash · instantaneous · snap · blink · momentary · spontaneous · accelerated
tempo
Rate of musical performance
- allegroBrisk tempo marking
- vivaceLively musical tempo
- fortissimoVery loud, musically
staccato · legato · andante · adagio · largo · pianissimo · crescendo · maestro · conductor · notation
abracadabra
Spell-casting utterance
sleight · vanish · appear · transformation · wand · hat · magician · illusionist · hocus-pocus · reveal
instant
Briefest unit of time
rapid · swift · flash · instantaneous · snap · blink · momentary · spontaneous · accelerated · express
- magic wordsabracadabra, alakazam, hocus pocus, open sesame, shazam
- Temposallegro, vivace, allegretto
- magicwizard, wand, sorcerer, witchcraft, mage
- classical musicBach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms
- music termsmelody, tempo, rhythm, harmony, beat
- catchphrasescatchphrase, why so serious, cowabunga, good grief, yabba dabba doo
prestogradually
In slow stages
slowly · eventually · bit by bit · incrementally · in time
- presto changoConjurer's transformation exclamation
- presto changeoExclamation accompanying sudden change
- hey prestoExclamation announcing sudden appearance
- presto change-oMagician's transformation phrase