a poco a poco

a poco a poco

1. (idiomatic) little by little (a small amount at a time)

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a poco a poco

1. little by little, by degrees
   • mid 1300s–mid 1310s, Dante Alighieri, “Canto I”, in Inferno [Hell]‎, lines 58–60; republished as Giorgio Petrocchi, editor, La Commedia secondo l'antica vulgata [The Commedia according to the ancient vulgate]‎, 2^nd revised edition, Florence: publ. Le Lettere, 1994:

     tal mi fece la bestia sanza pace,
     che, venendomi ’ncontro, a poco a poco
     mi ripigneva là dove ’l sol tace.

     E'en such made me that beast withouten peace, which, coming on against me by degrees, thrust me back thither where the sun is silent.