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Glossary of Fencing terms: |
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Backsword: an archaic, edged, unpointed sword used in prizefighting; also
singlestick. Balestra: a forward hop or jump, typically followed by an attack such as a lunge or fleche. Bayonet: a type of electrical connector for foil and sabre. Beat: an attempt to knock the opponent's blade aside or out of line by using one's foible or middle against the opponent's foible. Baudry point: a safety collar placed around a live epee point to prevent dangerous penetration. Bind: an action in which the opponent's blade is forced into the diagonally opposite line. Black Card: used to indicate the most serious offences in a fencing competition. The offending fencer is usually expelled from the event or tournament. Bout: an assault at which the score is kept. Broadsword: any sword intended for cutting instead of thrusting; sabre. Broken Time: a sudden change in the tempo of one fencer's actions, used to fool the opponent into responding at the wrong time. Button: the safety tip on the end of practice and sporting swords. Change of Engagement: engagement of the opponent's blade in the opposite line. Commanding the blade: grabbing the opponent's blade with the off-hand, illegal in sport fencing. Compound: also composed; an action executed in two or more movements; an attack or riposte incorporating one or more feints. Conversation: the back-and-forth play of the blades in a fencing match, composed of phrases (phrases d'armes) punctuated by gaps of no blade action. Counter-attack: an offensive action made against the right-of-way, or in response to the opponent's attack. Counter-disengage: a disengage in the opposite direction, to deceive the counter-parry. Counter-parry: a parry made in the opposite line to the attack; ie. the defender first comes around to the opposite side of the opponent's blade. Counter-riposte: an attack that follows a parry of the opponent's riposte. Counter-time: an attack that responds to the opponent's counter-attack, typically a riposte following the parry of the counter-attack. Corps-a-corps: lit. "body-to-body"; physical contact between the two fencers during a bout, illegal in foil and sabre. Coule': also graze, glise', or glissade; an attack or feint that slides along the opponent's blade. Coup lance': a launched hit; an attack that starts before a stop in play but lands after. Valid for normal halts, but not valid at end of time. Coupe': also cut-over; an attack or deception that passes around the opponent's tip. Croise: also semi-bind; an action in which the opponent's blade is forced into the high or low line on the same side. Cross: an advance or retreat by crossing one leg over the other; also passe' avant (forward cross), passe' arriere (backwards cross). Cut: an attack made with a chopping motion of the blade, normally landing with the edge. Deception: avoidance of an attempt to engage the blades; see disengage, coupe' Derobement: deception of the attack au fer or prise de fer. Direct: a simple attack or riposte that finishes in the same line in which it was formed, with no feints out of that line. Disengage: a circular movement of the blade that deceives the opponent's parry, removes the blades from engagement, or changes the line of engagement. Displacement: moving the target to avoid an attack; dodging. Double: in epee, two attacks that arrive within 40-50 ms of each other. Double-time: also "dui tempo"; parry-riposte as two distinct actions. Double': an attack or riposte that describes a complete circle around the opponent's blade, and finishes in the opposite line. Dry: also steam; fencing without electric judging aids. Engagement: when the blades are in contact with each other, eg. during a parry, attack au fer, prise de fer, or coule'. En Garde: also On Guard; the fencing position; the stance that fencers assume when preparing to fence. Envelopment: an engagement that sweeps the opponent's blade through a full circle. Epee: a fencing weapon with triangular cross-section blade and a large bell guard; also a light duelling sword of similar design, popular in the mid-19th century; epee de terrain; duelling sword. False: an action that is intended to fail, but draw a predicted reaction from the opponent; also, the back edge of a sabre blade. Feint: an attack into one line with the intention of switching to another line before the attack is completed. Fencing Time: also temps d'escrime; the time required to complete a single, simple fencing action. FIE: Federation Internationale d'Escrime, the world governing body of fencing. Finta in tempo: lit. "feint in time"; a feint of counter-attack that draws a counter-time parry, which is decieved; a compound counter-attack. Fleche: lit. "arrow"; an attack in which the aggressor leaps off his leading foot, attempts to make the hit, and then passes the opponent at a run. Flick: a cut-like action that lands with the point, often involving some whip of the foible of the blade to "throw" the point around a block or other obstruction. Florentine: an antiquated fencing style where a secondary weapon or other instrument is used in the off hand. Flying Parry or Riposte: a parry with a backwards glide and riposte by cut-over. Foible: the upper, weak part of the blade. Foil: a fencing weapon with rectangular cross-section blade and a small bell guard; any sword that has been buttoned to render it less dangerous for practice. Forte: the lower, strong part of the blade. French Grip: a traditional hilt with a slightly curved grip and a large pommel. Froissement: an attack that displaces the opponent's blade by a strong grazing action. Fuller: the groove that runs down a sword blade to reduce weight. Glide: see coule'. Guard: the metal cup or bow that protects the hand from being hit. Also, the defensive position assumed when not attacking. Hilt: the handle of a sword, consisting of guard, grip, and pommel. Homologated: certified for use in FIE competitions, eg. 800N clothing and maraging blades. In Quartata: a counter-attack made with a quarter turn to the inside, concealing the front but exposing the back. In Time: at least one fencing time before the opposing action, especially with regards to a stop-hit. Indirect: a simple attack or riposte that finishes in the opposite line to which it was formed. Insistence: forcing an attack through the parry. Interception: a counter-attack that intercepts and checks an indirect attack or other disengagement. Invitation: a line that is intentionally left open to encourage the opponent to attack. Italian Grip: a traditional hilt with finger rings and crossbar. Judges: additional officials who assist the referee in detecting illegal or invalid actions, such as floor judges or hand judges. Jury: the 4 officials who watch for hits in a dry fencing bout. Kendo: Japanese fencing, with two-handed swords. Lame': a metallic vest/jacket used to detect valid touches in foil and sabre. Line: the main direction of an attack (eg., high/low, inside/outside), often equated to the parry that must be made to deflect the attack; also point in line. Lunge: an attack made by extending the rear leg and landing on the bent front leg. Mal-parry: also mal-pare'; a parry that fails to prevent the attack from landing. Manipulators: the thumb and index finger of the sword hand. Maraging: a special steel used for making blades; said to be stronger and break more cleanly than conventional steels. Marker Points: an old method of detecting hits using inked points. Martingale: a strap that binds the grip to the wrist/forearm. Match: the aggregate of bouts between two fencing teams. Measure: the distance between the fencers. Middle: the middle third of the blade, between foible and forte. Moulinet: a whirling cut, executed from the wrist or elbow. Neuvieme: an unconventional parry (#9) sometimes described as blade behind the back, pointing down (a variant of octave), other times similar to elevated sixte. Octave: parry #8; blade down and to the outside, wrist supinated. Opposition: holding the opponent's blade in a non-threatening line; a time-hit; any attack or counter-attack with opposition. Parry: a block of the attack, made with the forte of one's own blade; also parade. Pass: an attack made with a cross; eg. fleche. Also, the act of moving past the opponent. Passata-sotto: a lunge made by dropping one hand to the floor. Passe': an attack that passes the target without hitting; also a cross-step (see cross). Phrase: a set of related actions and reactions in a fencing conversation. Pineapple tip: a serrated epee point used prior to electric judging. Piste: the linear strip on which a fencing bout is fought; approx. 2m wide and 14m long. Pistol Grip: a modern, orthopaedic grip, shaped vaguely like a small pistol; varieties are known by names such as Belgian, German, Russian, and Visconti. Plaque': a point attack that lands flat. Plastron: a partial jacket worn for extra protection; typically a half-jacket worn under the main jacket on the weapon-arm side of the body. Point: a valid touch; the tip of the sword; the mechanical assembly that makes up the point of an electric weapon; an attack made with the point (ie. a thrust) Point in Line: also line; an extended arm and blade that threatens the opponent. Pommel: a fastener that attaches the grip to the blade. Preparation: a non-threatening action intended to create the opening for an attack; the initial phase of an attack, before right-of-way is established. Presentation: offering one's blade for engagement by the opponent. Press: an attempt to push the opponent's blade aside or out of line; depending on the opponent's response, the press is followed by a direct or indirect attack. Prime: parry #1; blade down and to the inside, wrist pronated. Principle of Defence: the use of forte against foible when parrying. Priority: in sabre, the now-superceded rules that decide which fencer will be awarded the touch in the event that they both attack simultaneously; also used synonymously with right-of-way. Prise de Fer: also taking the blade; an engagement of the blades that forces the opponent's weapon into a new line. See: bind, croise, envelopment, opposition. Quarte: parry #4; blade up and to the inside, wrist supinated. Quinte: parry #5; blade up and to the inside, wrist pronated. In sabre, the blade is held above the head to protect from head cuts. Rapier: a long, double-edged thrusting sword popular in the 16th-17th centuries. Red Card: used to indicate repeated minor rule infractions or a major rule infraction by one of the fencers; results in a point being given to the other fencer. Redoublement: a new action that follows an attack that missed or was parried; renewal of a failed attack in the opposite line; alternatively see Reprise. Referee: also director, president; the mediator of the fencing bout. Remise: immediate replacement of an attack that missed or was parried, without withdrawing the arm. Reprise: renewal of an attack that missed or was parried, after a return to en-garde; alternatively see Redoublement. Retreat: step back; opposite of advance. Ricasso: the portion of the tang between the grip and the blade, present on Italian hilts and most rapiers. Right-of-way: rules for awarding the point in the event of a double touch in foil or sabre. Riposte: an offensive action made immediately after a parry of the opponent's attack. Sabre: a fencing weapon with a flat blade and knuckle guard, used with cutting or thrusting actions; a military sword popular in the 18th to 20th centuries; any cutting sword used by cavalry. Salle: a fencing hall or club. Salute: with the weapon, a customary acknowledgement of one's opponent and referee at the start and end of the bout. Schlager: German fraternity duelling sword, used with cuts to the face and no footwork. Second Intention: a false action used to draw a response from the opponent, which will open the opportunity for the intended action that follows, typically a counter-riposte. Seconde: parry #2; blade down and to the outside, wrist pronated. Septime: parry #7; blade down and to the inside, wrist supinated. Simple: executed in one movement; an attack or riposte that involves no feints. Simultaneous: in foil and sabre, two attacks for which the right-of-way is too close to determine. Single Stick: an archaic form of fencing with basket-hilted wooden sticks. Single-time: also "stesso tempo"; parry-riposte as a single action. Sixte: parry #6; blade up and to the outside, wrist supinated. Small Sword: a light duelling sword popular in the 17th-18th centuries, precursor to the foil. Stop Hit: a counter-attack that hits; also a counter-attack whose touch is valid by virtue of it's timing. Stop Cut: a stop-hit with the edge in sabre, typically to the cuff. Three Prong: a type of epee body wire/connector; also an old-fashioned tip that would snag clothing, to make it easier to detect hits in the pre-electric era. Thrown Point: a "flick". Thrust: an attack made by moving the sword parallel to its length and landing with the point. Tierce: parry #3; blade up and to the outside, wrist pronated. Time Hit: also time-thrust; old name for stop hit with opposition. Trompement: deception of the parry. Two Prong: a type of body-wire/connector, used in foil and sabre. Whip-over: in sabre, a touch that results from the foible of the blade whipping over the opponent's guard or blade when parried. Whites: fencing clothing. Yellow Card: also advertissement, warning; used to indicate a minor rule infraction by one of the fencers. |
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