quăsĭ (old form QVĂSEI, Tab. Bantin. lin. 10; Inscr. Orell. 2488), adv. [quamsi].
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. 850: 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. 461.— 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. 145: quasi in extremā paginā, Cic. Or. 13, 41; id. 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.