Sports Glossaries
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absence of blade

The situation in which the fencer's blades are not in contact. The opposite of engagement.

advance

To move toward the opponent.

aids

The last three fingers of the sword hand.

annulment of hit

The referee's act of disallowing a hit because of a rules infringement or technical fault.

appel

Beating the ball of the foot on the ground.

attack

An movement signaled by extending the sword arm, which gives the fencer the right of way.

avoidance

Ducking or moving laterally to prevent a hit.

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balestra

A quick hop or jump forward, often the first movement in an attack.

back edge

The edge of a sabre blade opposite the cutting edge.

barrage

A fight-off to break a tie.

beat

Sharp contact with the opponent's blade to initiate or threaten attack.

bib

An attachment to the mask that protects the neck and throat area.

bind

A series of circular moves with the blade to disengage.

blade

The part of a fencing weapon that extends beyond the guard.

body wire

Wire that's worn beneath the clothing to connect the fencer's sword to electrical scoring apparatus.

bout

A fencing fight for a specific number of hits, usually five touches in six minutes.

break ground

To step back.

broken time

A pause in an action that's normally performed in one movement.

button

A soft covering over the point of a foil or epee.

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cadence

The rhythm of a sequence of movements.

ceding parry

A parry that's executed by giving way to an opponent.

change beat

A beat made after passing over or under the opponent's blade.

change of engagement

A re-engagement of the opponent's blade on the opposite side by passing over or under.

change of line

Movement of the blade from high to low or from outside to inside.

circular parry

A parry made with a circular movement of the sword point.

close quarters

A situation in which the two fencers are close to one another but still able to wield their weapons.

close the line

To block the opponent's attack.

command the blade

To grab the opponent's blade with the off-hand, an illegal action.

compound action

Two or more actions performed together as one continuous action.

compound attack

An attack with two or more movements, each of which follows a feint.

compound riposte

A riposte that involves one or more feints.

conversation

The play, back and forth, of fencers and their blades in a match.

conventions

The rules governing fencing for a specific weapon.

coquille

The bell-shaped guard of a foil or epee.

corps a corps

Bodily contact between fencers; the French for "body to body."

coule

A straight thrust on which the blade grazes lightly down the opponent's blade.

counter attack

An attack made immediately after avoiding or stopping an opponent's attack.

counter-parry

A defensive movement in which the fencer goes around the opponent's blade and moves it away.

counter-riposte

An attack made immediately after parrying the opponent's riposte or counter-riposte.

counter-time

An attack made by luring the opponent into a counter attack and then striking back.

coup lancé

An attack that begins before a stop in play but results in a hit afterward. It's not valid if time has run out, but it counts if play was stopped for any other reason. (French for "launched hit.")

coupe

See cut-over.

coupe double

A double hit.

cover

To close a line to the attacker.

croise

The action of taking the opponent's foible on the forte and moving the opponent's from high to low, or vice versa, on the side of engagement. See also diagonal parry.

cross

An advance or retreat made by crossing one leg over the other.

crosse grip

A moulded grip that has protrusions to protect the fingers on foils and epees.

cut

A hit in sabre competition made by striking with the edge of the blade.

cut-over

The act of passing the blade over the opponent's point.

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deceive

To evade the opponent.

derobement

Evading an opponent's attack on the blade.

detachment

The situation in which both blades break contact.

development

Extension of the sword arm as part of a lunge.

diagonal parry

A parry in which the opponent's blade is moved from high to low, or vice versa, on the opposite side. See also croise.

direct

Descriptive of an action in which the blade is not passed under or over the opponent's blade.

director

The referee of a match.

disengage

To break contact with the opponent's blade.

displacement

Turning or ducking to move a valid target area from its normal position, replacing it with a non-valid area.

double action

Offensive actions made by both fencers simultaneously.

double defeat

If both fencers have received the same number of hits after time has expired in an epee competition, a defeat is scored against each of them.

double hit

The situation when each competitor scores a hit on the other simultaneously in epee.

double time

Descriptive of a parry or riposte performed as two distinct actions.

dry

Descriptive of a match that has no electrical judging apparatus.

duration of bout

The actual fencing time, recorded by a clock that is started at the beginning of a bout, stopped each time action is halted, and re-started when the bout resumes.

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electrical apparatus

The equipment that registers valid hits through a connection with the fencers' body wires. Red and green lights signal valid hits. In foil, a white light signals a non-valid hit.

en finale

Descriptive of a parry made at the last possible instant.

en garde

The ready position taken before a bout begins.

engagement

Contact between the fencers' blades.

envelopement

Taking the foible of the opponent's blade through a complete circle, back to the original line of engagement.

epee

A weapon with a blade triangular in cross-section and heavier than that of the foil. The epee has a large, cup-shaped guard that protects the hand and forearm. The target area in foil competition includes the entire body, and there is no right of way rule.

extend

To straighten the sword arm in the direction of the target.

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feint

A fake attack that's intended to create an opening for a genuine attack.

fleche

A running attack initiated by a leap off the front foot, followed by an attempt to make a hit, after which the attacker runs past his opponent.

flank

The sword-arm side of the fencer's body.

flick

An action made with a chopping or cutting motion that lands with the point.

floor judge

One of two officials who watch for floor hits in an epee bout without a metallic piste.

foible

The flexible half of the blade farthest from the hilt; the weakest area of the blade.

foil

A thrusting weapon used in competition that allows valid touches only with the tip of the blade. The target area comprises the torso, both front and back, and the groin. Touches to other parts of the body are off target.

forte

The half of the blade nearest to the hilt; the strongest area of the blade.

froissement

Deflecting the opponent's blade by opposing the forte to the foible.

fuller

A groove in a sword blade that reduces its weight.

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glide

To make a moderate forward movement while maintaining contact with the opponent's blade.

grip

The part of a sword, contained in the guard, where it is grasped by the hand.

ground judge

An official who rules on hits. There are two ground judges, one at each end of the strip.

guard

1) The part of the weapon, between the blade and handle, that protects the hand. 2) A specific defensive position.

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high line

Any line above the midway point of the fencer's trunk or above the guard.

hilt

The area of the sword excluding the blade and including the guard, grip, pad, and pommel.

hit

The action of striking the opponent with the point of the sword, in epee or foil; a cut, in sabre. As a verb, to make a hit.

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indicator

One of two mathematical methods used to determine seedings after early rounds of competition. The first indicator is the ratio of victories to fights. The second indicator is the number of hits scored minus the number of hits received.

indirect

Descriptive of an offensive action initiated by disengaging and then passing the blade under or over the opponent's blade.

in line

Descriptive of an extended sword arm that threatens the opponent.

inside line

Any line on the same side as the sword arm.

insufficient parry

A parry that fails to deflect the attacking blade.

invitation

An intentional opening of a line to the opponent's attack.

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jury

The group of officials that oversee a match. The director is the president of the jury.

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la belle

A sudden-death playoff to break a tie.

lamé

A metallic vest or jacket that detects valid touches in foil and sabre.

lateral parry

A parry made by redirecting the opponent's blade with a lateral arm movement.

line

The main direction of an attack. See high line; inside line; low line; outside line.

low line

Any line below the midway point of the fencer's trunk or below the guard.

low invitation

Allowing an attack by dropping the sword arm.

lunge

An attack in which the fencer moves the front leg quickly forward while the back leg remains stationary and straightens out.

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mal pare

French for insufficient parry.

manipulators

The index finger and thumb of the sword hand.

martingale

A tape or leather loop, attached to the grip to prevent a foil from flying out of the fencer's hand.

measure

The distance between the fencers.

metallic piste

A piste covered with electrically conductive material to prevent hits on the floor from registering on the electrical apparatus.

moulinet

A whirling cut executed with a twist of the wrist or elbow.

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neuvieme

The ninth guard or parry, an unconventional move variously described as an octave with the point down or an elevated sixte.

novice

A fencer not placed in the top three positions.

octave

The eighth guard or parry, made in a low line on the sword-arm side with the wrist supinated.

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on guard

The instruction to get ready for competition. See en garde.

opposition

Holding the opponent's blade in an off-target line.

outside line

Any line on the side opposite the the sword arm.

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pad

A soft protective cushion inside the guard.

parry

To block the opponent's blade.

pas de touche

A declaration by the director that no touch has been recorded.

passata sotto

A counter attack in which a lunge is initiated by dropping a hand to the floor and lowering the body under the opponent's oncoming blade.

passé

1) An attack that passes the target without hitting it. 2) A cross.

patinando

A forward step, with an appel from the rear foot at the moment when the front foot lands.

phrase

A set of related actions by both fencers that continues until a hit is scored or action is stopped by the director.

piste

The fencing strip (French).

plastron

1) A half jacket worn under the fencing jacket to give the sword arm extra protection. 2) a padded over-jacket worn by a fencing coach.

point

1) A valid touch. 2) The tip of the sword. 3) An attack made with the point.

point in line

A position in which the fencer's arm is extended, with the point of the blade threatening a target.

pommel

The fastener that holds the grip to the blade and also acts as a counter balance to the blade.

pool

A grouping of fencers or teams in a competition.

poule

French for "pool."

presentation

Offering the blade for engagement by the opponent.

press

To invite attack by pushing the opponent's blade from one side to the other.

prime

The first guard or parry, in a high line on the side away from the sword arm, with the wrist pronated.

pronation

A position in which the knuckles of the sword hand are pointing upward.

preparation

Movement of the blade or foot into the best position for an attack.

principle of defense

Opposing the forte to the opponent's foible.

priority

See right of way.

progressive actions

A series of actions in which the sword point moves continually towards the target.

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quarte

The fourth guard or parry; blocking the opponent's blade by moving it high and to the inside so it points beyond the chest or stomach.

quinte

The fifth guard or parry. In foil or epee, a low line on the side away from the sword arm, with a pronated wrist. In sabre, a high guard that protects the head.

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rassemblement

Bringing the feet together at right angles with the heels touching and the body upright.

recover

To move back to the en garde position after a lunge.

redoublement

Renewing an attack after being parried by moving the point to a different line toward the target.

referee

The director.

remise

Renewing an attack after being parried by moving the point along the same line toward a different point on the target.

retreat

To step back.

right of way

In foil and sabre competition, a convention that determines the priority of touches. Essentially, when two fencers strike one another simultaneously, priority is given to the fencer who first signaled attack with a forward movement of the arm, directing the point of the blade toward a valid target area in a threatening manner.

riposte

A counter attack after the opponent's attack has been parried.

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sabre

The modern fencing sabre has a straight blade and a curved, triangular guard to protect the hand. Touches, known as cuts, can be scored with either the tip or the edge of the blade.

salle

A fencing hall or club.

salute

Raising the weapon to acknowledge the opponent and the director at the beginning and end of the bout.

seconde

The second guard or parry. A low line on the side of the sword arm, with a pronated wrist.

septime

The seventh guard or parry. A low line on the side away from the sword arm, with a semi-supinated wrist.

simple

Descriptive of an action made in a single move or count.

single time

Descriptive of a parry or riposte performed as a single action.

sixte

The sixth guard or parry. A high line on the side of the sword arm, with a semi-supinated wrist.

stop hit

A counter attack that results in a hit.

stop cut

A stop hit with the edge in sabre.

strip

The fencing area, which is 14 meters long by two meters wide.

successive parries

Two or more parries made in succession to defend against compound attacks.

supination

A position in which the knuckles of the sword hand are down and the fingernails up.

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tang

The part of the blade where the hilt is mounted.

thrown point

See flick.

thrust

An attack made with a straight movement of the blade, landing with the point.

tierce

The third parry or guard. A high line on the side of the sword arm, with a pronated wrist.

touch

A hit that counts in the scoring.

touche

The announcement that a hit has been scored.

trompement

French for deception.

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whip-over

A touch, in sabre, that results from the blade's foible being whipped over the opponent's guard or blade.

whites

The fencing uniform.

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