Presto

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The term Presto can refer to:

a musical term indicating a fast tempo
a line of pressure cooking untensils manufactured by National Presto Industries, Incorporated, a company from Eau Claire, Wisconsin publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange
The starting hand of 55 in Texas Hold'em
1989 album by Rush
the Presto layout engine used in the Opera web browser
Presto Studios - game development company
Presto! Recording Studios - Recording Studio
Presto, Bolivia
Hyundai Presto - a car
Presto the Tadpole - Pet in Insaniquarium Deluxe
A supermarket in the United Kingdom that was overtaken by Safeway in the mid-1990s.
The term has also been used is also used for centuries to command demons, and also in conjunction with amateur stage magic - 'Presto change-o' or 'Hey presto!' are common accompaniments to the waving of the magic wand or the swishing of the handkerchief as the magician performs their tricks. The term comes from the Italian (and Latin) for 'quickly', and is possibly related to prestidigitation (sleight of hand) derived from the Latin for 'fast fingers'.
"Hey Presto" was also an advertising slogan for the already mentioned supermarket.
An unincorporated community in SE Idaho, named after pioneer Presto Burrell. It was home of the regional writer Agnes Just Reid, and is referenced in the book Wizard Girl by Reid's great nephew, novelist Rick Just.

External links

An exhaustive discussion of the magic phrase presto chango is available in the free online dictionary of magic words.