presto change-o
Magic trick exclamation
Presto change-o is a playful exclamation accompanying a sudden transformation or reveal, imitating a stage magician's patter.
The phrase emphasizes speed and dramatic effect: She added some spices and—presto change-o—the bland soup became delicious.
Often used ironically when something changes suspiciously fast or without adequate explanation: He files some paperwork and presto change-o, the violations disappear.
- switcherooSlangy sudden reversal
- disappearPass from visibility
- disappearing actSudden, unexplained departure
- trickeryDeliberate deception or fraud
- smoke and mirrorsDeceptive obfuscation tactics
magic · sorcery · conjuring · illusion · legerdemain · vanishing act · magic trick · enchantment · alakazam · hocus-pocus · magic words · ta-da · sleight of hand · transformation · wizardry · metamorphosis · abracadabra · wand
presto change-oslow and steady
Gradual but consistent
bit by bit · step by step · little by little · over time · by degrees
presto change-opainstakingly
With extreme thoroughness
laboriously · with great effort · methodically · the hard way · systematically
presto change-otransparently
In an obvious manner
step by step · visibly · no tricks · in plain sight · by the book
presto, change, changes, changed, changing, changeable, unchanged, changeling, exchange