What Do the Terms Mean?
(excerpted from the 1998-99 U.S. Fencing Fact Book)
Advance: Step forward with a fencer's front leg
Attack: Movement or series of movements by which a fencer tries to score a point against his opponent.
Beat: Sharp tap on the opponent's blade to initiate attack or threat of attack.
Counter(or
Circular)-parry: a defensive movement by which the fencer
makes a small circle with the tip of the blade, around the
opponent's blade and moves the opponent's blade away.
Disengage: Break of contact between fencers' blades; movement made by passing the blade under the opponent's blade.
Engagement: Contact of blades.
En garde: Position taken before a bout begins.
Feint: A false attack intended to get a reaction from the opposing fencer which will open them up to a genuine attack.
Fleche: A running attack.
Lunge: Most common attack in which the fencer closes the distance by moving the front leg forward while the back leg remains stationary and straightens out.
Parry: Defensive action in which a fencer blocks his opponent's blade.
Recover: Return to the en garde position after lunging.
Remise: Attacking again immediately after the opponent's parry of an initial attack.
Riposte: Defender's
attack after parrying an attack.
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