Fencing Terms

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I

in measure:  to be at one’s lunging distance against an opponent

in time:  a description of a fencing action taken at the appropriate moment, e.g., an attack launched when the defending blade is moving away from the line where the attack is occurring

indirect riposte:  a riposte that lands in a line other than the one in which the parry was made

imbrocatta [It.]:  a time thrust delivered against an attempted flanconnade to the outside-low line

in measure:  to be at one’s lunging distance against an opponent

infighting:  fencing at close distance

inquartata [It.]:a counter-attack in which, from the perspective of a right-handed en garde fencer, (1) the fencer reverse lunges obliquely to the right, (2) simultaneously extends the sword arm, timing the reverse lunge to evade the incoming thrust but land a touch against the opponent

inside-high line:  from the perspective of an en-garde, right-handed fencer, that part of the fencer’s target area to the left of the fencer’s weapon and above the fencer’s armed hand (for a left-hander fencer, the inside-high line is right of the weapon)

inside-low line:  from the perspective of an en-garde, right-handed fencer, that part of the fencer’s target area to the left of the fencer’s weapon and below the fencer’s blade hand (for a left-hander fencer, the inside-high line is right of the weapon)

inside line:  from the perspective of an en-garde, right-handed fencer, that part of the fencer’s target area to the left of the fencer’s weapon (for a left-hander fencer, the inside line is right of the weapon)

inside moulinet:  in saber and cane fencing, a moulinet executed in the inside line (i.e., from a right-handed fencer’s perspective, on the left side of the fencer’s body)

insistence:  delivering a valid touch with sufficient opposition that it lands despite an attempted parry

• see coup droit d’autorité & entering through the weak

intagliata [It.]:  a counter-attack in which, from the perspective of a right-handed en garde fencer, the fencer (1) steps forward and obliquely left while (2) extending the sword arm, timing the step such that the fencer’s blade both opposes the opponent’s incoming thrust and lands on the opponent’s target area

intercepting parry:  a defensive action against an attempted bind that combines a dérobement with a change beat

invalid touch:  a touch outside of the target area

inverted disengage:  a vertical disengage in which the attacker’s hand shifts from a pronated position to a supinated position (or vice versa) when disengaging

inverted septime:  a vertical disengage in which the attacker’s hand shifts to a septime position with extreme opposition to the attacker’s left, aiming for the defender’s inside-low line

invitation:  a deliberate exposure of a line in order to induce the opponent’s attack

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J

judge:  an official observer in a judged bout who answers to the president’s questions regarding the validity of touches

judged bout: a bout which is officiated by a president and four judges

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K

knuckle guard:  the curved part of a small-sword or saber that protects the armed hand (sometimes, “knuckle bow”)

 

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L

la belle [Fr., “the beauty” or “the beautiful (one)”]:  the tie-breaking point in a bout

la canne [Fr., “the cane”]:  French cane fencing as practiced in the 19^th century

La parata non esiste [It.]:  The parry does not exist, meaning that your defense should be your simultaneous attack.

lateral exterior: in cane fencing, a horizontal strike delivered to opponent’s cheek on his outside line

lateral interior:  in cane fencing, a horizontal strike delivered to the opponent’s cheek on his inside line

legamento [It.]:  in the Northern Italian School of fencing, a transport; elsewhere, the legamento is recognized as a bind

liement [Fr.]:  a bind

line: as determined by the position of the opponent’s armed hand, one of the four quadrants on a fencer’s target area—i.e., outside-high, outside-low, inside-high, and inside-low—into which we attack

line of direction:  the hypothetical line connecting two fencers’ front feet

long distance:  the distance between you and your opponent, when, in order to strike, you must advance and then lunge (sometimes “out-of-measure”)

• see also, close distance, distance, and medium distance

low line:  the two quadrants below the armed hand, i.e., the inside-low line and the outside-low line

• cf. high line

lunge:  the fundamental, offensive movement that a fencer uses to make a valid hit from measure, conducted with rapidity and in the following order:  (1) extension of the armed hand, (2) extension of the rear leg, thrusting the body forward, (3) lowering of the rear arm, and (4) landing on the front foot, knee over the ankle

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M

mal paré [Fr.,  lit. “badly parried”]:  a parry that insufficiently deviates or blocks the attacker’s weapon, allowing the attacker to validly hit the defender

• cf. coup droit d’autorité

manchette [Fr., “cuff,” or “oversleeve”]:a saber cut or cane hit to the opponent’s arm

manipulators:  the armed hand’s middle, ring, and pinkie fingers

• see also, aides

measure [Fr., mesure; It., misura]:  the distance one must travel to lunge and validly hit one’s opponent; sometimes a synonym for “distance”

mechanical edge:  the cutting edge of a weapon, such as a knife or saber (sometimes called the “true edge”)

Mediterranean cut:  in knife fighting, a thrust that enters the defender’s abdomen around the navel with the true edge upwards and is then pulled upward

medium distance:  the distance between  a fencer and an opponent when,  in order to land a valid touch, the fencer must lunge

• see also, correct measure; distance; & measure

misura [It.]:  measure

modern fencing:  fencing as it was practiced during roughly the first half of the 20^th century before the introduction of the electronic scoring machines

moulinet [Fr.]:  a strike in cane or sabre fencing executed by rotating the lead forearm at the elbow to deliver the strike

• see also, inside moulinet; molinello; molinellomontante; molinelloristretto; outside moulinet; & reverse moulinet

molinello [It.]:  a moulinet

molinello montante [It.]:  a molinello with an ascending point

molinello ristretto [It., “restricted molinello”]:  a molinello made with a comparatively shallow arc, using more the wrist as the pivot point rather than the elbow

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N

neutral engagement:  an engagement in which neither fencer has a mechanical advantage over the other

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O

octave [Fr., “eighth”]:  in classical French foil, a supinated guard which protects the outside-low line

Olympic fencing:  fencing as it is practiced in the Olympic games, usually with an electric scoring apparatus

• see also, postmodern fencing

on-guard:  a fencer’s basic ready position

• Fr., en garde

oppose:  to close the line; if the opponent’s point is on your target area, to “oppose” his blade would be to press it laterally, deviating it from your target area; if you are thrusting, to oppose his blade could mean (1) pressing his blade laterally to gradually move it from the target as you thrust or (2) holding firmly the position of your wrist and blade so that the opponent cannot also hit you in the line in which you are attacking

• see also, close the line

opposition [Fr., opposition]: (1) placement of a fencer’s blade and wrist which prevents the opponent’s attempt to thrust in that line:  an en garde defender’s opposition prevents an attack into any given line while an attacker’s opposition protects the attacker and hinders an attempted parry; (2) a prise de fer in which the attacker presses the opponent’s blade laterally aside as the attacker’s thrust is delivered

out of measure:  the distance between you and your opponent, when, in order to land a touch, you must advance and then lunge (sometimes “long distance”)

out of time:  description of a fencing action taken at the wrong moment, e.g., attacking into a line that is closing or when the opponent is ready and able to defend

outside-high:  from the perspective of an en-garde, right-handed fencer: that part of the fencer’s target area to the right of the fencer’s weapon and above the fencer’s armed hand (for a left-hander fencer, the outside-high line is left of the weapon)

outside-low:  from the perspective of an en-garde right-handed fencer, that part of the fencer’s target area to the right of the fencer’s weapon and below the fencer’s armed hand (for a left-hander fencer, the outside-high line is left of the weapon)

outside line:  from the perspective of an en-garde, right-handed fencer, that part of the fencer’s valid target area to the right of the fencer’s weapon (for a left-hander fencer, the outside line is left of the weapon)

outside moulinet:  in saber and cane fencing, a moulinet executed in the outside line (i.e., from a right-handed fencer’s perspective, on the right side of the fencer’s body)

• cf. inside moulinet

over-lunge: shifting your weight too far forward on the lead leg when lunging, causing the angle to become acute rather than right

 

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P

parade circulaire [Fr.]:  a circular parry

parry:  the defender’s movement of the blade used to deflect the attacker’s incoming blade

pas d’âne [Fr.]:  the coquille on a small-sword (note: many sources recognize that the modern tendency is to incorrectly refer to the pas d’âneas the two ringed branches supporting a small-sword’s coquille, i.e., its pas d’âne)

passe arrière [Fr., “pass backward”]:  a cross-over retreat

passe avant [Fr., “pass forward”]:  a step in which, from the en garde position, the fencer places his rear foot in front of the lead foot and the latter is immediately replaced forward, returning the fencer to the en garde position

passé [Fr., “passed”]:  an attempted touch that does not land with the point, but instead passes or slides along the target area

• cf. plaqué

pattinando [It., “skating”]:  an extension quickly followed by a rapid and fluid advance and lunge

pied ferme [Fr., “firm footing”]:  (1) immobility; (2) executing fencing actions without any movement of the feet, such as in a drill

piste [Fr.]:  the fencing strip

planes of attack:  the planes on which a circular attack is delivered, such as in la canne, saber, or knife fighting

plaqué [Fr.]:  term used to describe an attempted hit by a thrust weapon that does not land with the point, but instead lands flat against the target area

• cf. passé

pommel:  the weighted knob at the end of a foil, small-sword, dueling sword, or sabre

postmodern fencing:  fencing that emerged in the latter part of the 20^th century, frequently with an electrical scoring apparatus, a de-emphasis on form, and an emphasis on speed

preparation:  an action that a fencer takes to prepare an attack, such as a beat or feint

president:  the lead official in a judged bout who directs the bout and has one-and-a-half votes  (sometimes called “the director”)

pression [Fr.]: a pressure

pressure:  an attack on the blade in which the fencer presses his blade’s medium or forte against the weak of the opponent’s blade in order to open a line

prime [Fr., “first”]:  a pronated guard which protects the inside-high line

priority:  in foil and sabre fencing, the convention that establishes (1) the attacker’s right to attack and (2) the defender’s obligation to sufficiently deviate the attacker’s blade before the defender can attack; priority goes to the fencer who extends his sword arm first, and is transferred to the defender by his deviation of the attacker’s properly-executed attack

• see also, extension;  synonymous with right of way

prise de fer [Fr.]: a taking of the steel

probing actions:  actions that a fencer takes—e.g., sudden changes in speed, a feint, repeated changes of engagement—that are not intended to land a valid hit but instead to provoke the opponent’s reactions in order to strategically assess those reactions

pronated:  placement of the armed hand with palm-side down; in classical French foil, the pronated guards include prime, seconde, tierce, and quinte

• cf. supinated

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Q

quarte [Fr., “fourth”]:  a supinated guard which protects the inside-high line

quillons:  the cross-guard on the hilt of a rapier or small-sword, situated perpendicularly to the blade

quinte [Fr., “fifth”]:  a pronated guard which protects the inside-low line

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R

rassemblement [Fr., a “gathering”]:  a counter-attack in which the defender (1) extends into the attack while displacing his own target area upward and back by pulling his lead foot back to his rear foot, (2) straightens his knees, and (3) lowers his rear arm

reassemblement:  a rassemblement, to perform a rassemblement

redouble:  from the lunge position, to replace the rear foot close to the front foot in order to lunge again, thereby making a new attack; to perform a redouble

redoublement:  a redouble

remise [Fr., a “return” or “replacement”]:  an immediate replacement of the point on the defender’s target area after the attack missed or was parried and without withdrawing the sword arm, without returning en garde, and before the defender ripostes

reprise [Fr., a “resumption” or “retaking”]:  a different attack that a fencer makes immediately after returning en garde (also, reprise d’attaque)

retreat:  a fencer’s single step backwards

reverse cut:  in knife fighting, a cut that starts in the inside line and cuts towards the outside line

reverse lunge:  a backwards lunge in which the fencer (1) extends the sword arm, (2) steps back with the rear foot into a lunge position, bending the front leg as necessary, and (3) lowers the rear arm

right-of-way:  priority

riposte:  an attack delivered immediately after a parry

riposte by temps perdu:  an indirect riposte that deceives an attempted parry

romper [Fr., “to break”]:  to break distance by retreating out of measure

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S

salle d’armes [Fr.]:  a fencing training room or hall (sometimes salle)

scarto [It.]: in sabre fencing, an action in time in which a fencer displaces his upper body rearward, allowing the opponent’s descending cut to pass, and then counterattacks

sciabola [It.]:  sabre

scrape: a lesser-used synonym for an expulsion

• Fr., froissement
• see also, disarmament

second intention:  an action taken that is designed to induce the opponent’s responding offensive action which is subsequently seized upon by the attacker; an attack predicated on the defender’s parry-riposte.

• cf. first intention

seconde [Fr.]:  in French classical fencing, a pronated guard which protects the outside-low line

sentiment du fer [Fr.]:  a fencer’s ability to use his sword to feel and manipulate the opponent’s sword

septime [Fr., “seventh”]:  in classical French foil, a supinated guard which protects the inside-low line

seven:  see septime

sforza [It.]:  an expulsion

simple attack:  an attack that is executed in one motion and in a single fencing time

simple parry:  a parry executed by travelling directly—either laterally, vertically, or diagonally—to the threatened line

six:  see sixte

sixte [Fr., “sixth”]:  in classical French foil, a supinated guard which protects the outside-high line

stop cut:  in sabre, a stop hit that uses a cut to deliver the arrest

stop-hit:  an action in time in which the fencer attacks during the feint of the opponent’s attempted compound attack, stopping the opponent’s attack in its progress  (also, an “arrest”)

stop-thrust:  a stop hit that uses the point to deliver the arrest

straight thrust:  a simple attack which, without any deliberate contact with the opponent’s blade, starts from and ends in the same line

supinated:  placement of the armed hand with palm-side down; in the classical French school, the supinated guards include quarte, sixte, septime, and octave

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T

tac au tac:  a onomatopoeic description of a parry and riposte by detachment

tac riposte: a riposte that immediately follows a parry and then attacks in the same line

taking of the steel [Fr., prise de fer]:  a preparation on the attack in which a fencer uses his blade to maneuver, displace, or otherwise dominate the opponent’s blade

• see also, bind, croisé, disarmament, envelopment, opposition, and scrape (Fr., froissement)

target area:  the area on a fencer’s body on which a touch can be scored; the area varies according to the weapon

• in foil, the target area is the fencer’s entire torso—from the shoulders (but not the area covered by the mask’s bib) to the groin lines
• in épée, the target area is the entire body
• in saber, the target area is from the waist up

three-finger bend:  term used to describe the bend in a foil which lands with sufficient force to mimics the force necessary for a sword to penetrate layers of clothing and flesh (that is, a blade bend of approximately two to three inches)

tierce:  a pronated guard which protects the outside-high line

time-thrust: a counter-attack that the defender executes upon the attacker’s final blade movement (that is, the thrust intended to touch the defender), which simultaneously defends through opposition and touches the attacker

thrust:  an extension intended as an attack

touch:  the placement of a foil’s or épée’s tip or a saber’s cutting edge or tip on a fencer

touche [Fr., “touch”]:  a valid hit

touché [Fr., “touched”]:  to be validly hit

touche donée [Fr., “touch given”]:  a term describing a fencer who lands a valid touch

touche reçu [Fr., “touch received”]:  a term describing a fencer who receives a valid hit

toucher et ne pas l’être [Fr.]: “to touch and not be touched,” the axiom of classical fencing, attributed to Molière, and the CCF motto

tour d’épée [Fr., “a tour of the blade”]:  a composed attack composed of a cut-over and disengage (or vice versa)

transport:  a taking of the steel in which the fencer uses his blade’s forte to manipulate his opponent’s nonextended blade to the diagonally-opposite line

• cf. bind (distinguished by acting upon the opponent’s extended blade)

traversone:  in sabre fencing, a diagonal cut across the chest or abdomen

trompement [Fr.]:  a deceive

trouver d’épée [Fr., “to find the blade”]:  in small-sword, to make contact against the opponent’s blade with your blade, but without attempting to deviate the opponent’s blade

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V

valid hit:  a touch landed on the target area with sufficient force; in foil, the action of landing your foil’s button on your opponent’s target area with at least a three-finger bend

• see three-finger bend

vertical disengage:  a disengage from a high line to a low line (or vice versa)

vertical plane:  in saber and cane fencing, the planes on which one delivers vertically-directed strikes or cuts

• cf. horizontal plane

volte [Fr.]:  an esquive in which (1) the fencer straightens his legs, (2) turns his rear foot to off the line of direction a counter-attack in which, from the perspective of a right-handed en garde fencer, the fencer straightens his legs, stands upright; obliquely turns the rear foot to the right less than 45º off the line of direction, landing on the ball of the foot and thus removing the inside high line from attack; (3) extends the left arm; and (4) thrusts to the opponent’s high line (usually over the opponent’s arm)

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Y

yielding parry:  a ceding parry

Sources

Crown, Adam Adrian, Classical Fencing:  The Martial Art of Incurable Romantics (2001).

Evangelista, Nick, The Art and Science of Fencing (1996).

Gaugler, William M., The Science of Fencing:  A Comprehensive Training Manual for Master and Student; Including Lesson Plans for Foil, Sabre and Épée Instruction (1997).

Prevost, Camille & Jollivet, G, L’Escrime et Le Duel (1891).

Selberg, Charles, The Revised Foil (1984).