(adverb) : quăsĭ (old form QVASEI, Tab. Bantin. lin. 10; Inscr. Orell. 2488), quamsi.
* 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.
* Transf.
* 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.
* Quasi ... quasi, partly ... partly: qui cum diceret quasi joco, quasi serio, etc.,Spart. Get. 4.