quăsĭ — Lewis & Short
quăsĭ (old form QVăSEI, Tab. Bantin. lin. 10; adv.quamsi.
Inscr. Orell. 2488),I Lit., as if, just as, as it were (cf.: veluti, sicuti, tamquam): modo introii. Si. Quasi ego, quam dudum, rogem, as if I asked, Ter. And. 5, 2, 9:
quasi vero venire debuerint,just as though they ought to have come, Cic. Fam. 3, 7, 3:
quasi vero ille factum id esse defendat,id. Off. 3, 9, 39:
philosophia laudatarum artium omnium quasi parens,id. de Or. 1, 3, 9; cf.:
quasi decursus temporis,id. Fam. 3, 2, 2.— After the comparative particles, sic, ita, perinde, proinde, item, itidem, prorsus, quippe, etc.:
Graecas litteras sic avide arripui, quasi diuturnam sitim explere cupiens,as if, Cic. Sen. 8, 26:
qui, quasi sua res aut honos agatur, ita diligenter, etc.,id. Quint. 2, 9:
atque haec perinde loquor, quasi debueris,id. ib. 26, 83:
proinde quasi nostram ipsam mentem videre et sentire possimus,id. Mil. 31, 84:
item quasi salsa muriatica esse autumantur,Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 31:
itidem quasi occisam suem,id. Rud. 3, 2, 46:
prorsus quasi silentium damnum pulchritudinis esset,Just. 1, 7, 16:
quippe quasi minus perjurii contra haberent,id. 3, 7, 15.—
For sic ... quasi, in late Lat., aeque ... quasi occurs,Dig. 49, 1, 3, § 1.—After assimulare, to make or act as if:
assimulabo, quasi nunc exeam,will pretend to be just going out, Ter. Eun. 3, 2, 8.— Sometimes pleon. quasi si: QVASEI SEI, Tab. Bantin. lin. 10; Inscr. Orell. 2488:
quasi si esset ex se nata,Plaut. Cas. prol. 45.—
II Transf.
A About, nearly, almost (cf.:
circiter, fere): quasi una aetas erat,Plaut. Capt. prol. 20 Brix ad loc.:
quasi talenta ad quindecim Coëgi,Ter. Heaut. 1, 1, 93:
quasi in extremā paginā,Cic. Or. 13, 41; Cic. Verr. 1, 8, 22; Suet. Calig. 58; Sall. J. 50, 3; 48, 3; id. H. 3, 26; 4, 41.—
B Quasi ... quasi, partly ... partly:
qui cum diceret quasi joco, quasi serio, etc.,Spart. Get. 4.