assai

¹ American  

[uh-sahy, ahs-sah-ee] / əˈsaɪ, ɑsˈsɑ i /

adverb

Music.

1. very.

   allegro assai (very quick).

---

assai ² American  

[uh-sah-ee] / əˈsɑ i /

noun

1. any of several slender Brazilian palms of the genus Euterpe, especially E. edulis, a species bearing a purple fruit from which a beverage is made by infusion.

---

assai ¹ British  

/ æˈsaɪ /

noun

1. any of several Brazilian palm trees of the genus Euterpe, esp E. edulis, that have small dark purple fleshy edible fruit

2. a beverage made from the fruit of this tree

---

assai ² British  

/ æˈsaɪ /

adverb

1. music (usually preceded by a musical direction) very

   allegro assai

---

Etymology

Origin of assai¹

First recorded in 1715–25; from Italian: literally, “enough,”ultimately from Latin ad “(up) to” + satis “enough.” See asset

Origin of assai²

1895–1900; < Portuguese < Tupi assaí

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

assai

This couplet, Spesso chi chiama Costantin felice Sta meglio assai di me e 'l ver non dice, seems to be a sigh from his own weariness.

From Renaissance in Italy: Italian Literature Part 1 (of 2) by Symonds, John Addington

Neither have they when certain sorts of fruit are ripe, especially soft fruits, such as berries and the pulpy nuts of several kinds of palms, as the pupunha and assai.

From Afloat in the Forest A Voyage among the Tree-Tops by Reid, Mayne

In his subsequent additions he caught the name of Sir Philip Sidney with an adventurous criticism, “le sue poesie assai buone.”

From Curiosities of Literature, Vol. 3 by Disraeli, Isaac

Selecting an "assai" palm of about nine inches diameter, across the creek, I took steady aim and fired four bullets.

From In the Amazon Jungle Adventures in Remote Parts of the Upper Amazon River, Including a Sojourn Among Cannibal Indians by Lange, Algot

The tempo, marked in both editions, lento assai, is fast.

From Chopin : the Man and His Music by Huneker, James