The UMCP Fencing Club's Glossary of Fencing Related Terms

Absence of the Blade
Fencing while the blades are not engaged
Advance Lunge
In a simple advance lunge attack, the fencer extends the sword arm at the start of the advance, completes the advance, and then lunges.
Beat
This is similar to a parry except that it is executed as an offensive action. The beat is made with a spanking motion to either side of the blade.
Counter-parry
The Parry of a riposte.
Counter-riposte
The attack initiated after a successful counter-parry.
Coupe (or cutover)
Similar to the disengage in that it involves changing a line. However insted of dropping the point under the opponent's blade, you lift your blade over the opponent's blade.
Derobement
A disengage executed to decieve an opponent's beat
Direct action
An attack or riposte in which there is no change of line. For example, a direct riposte occurs when the defender successfully parries an attack and then executes an immediate and continous attack.
Disengage
A disengage is made by passing the point of your foil under the opponent's blade. Don, for exam[le, to change the line of attack.
Engagement
Contact of the blades while in the guard position. A "change of engagement" is performed similarly to the disengage: by passing the point of the foil under the opponents weapon to take control of the weapon on the opposite side.
Epee
A "point weapon." Hits or touches can only be scored with the point. Any part of the body, from head to toe, is a valid target. Originated from the French dueling sword from which it gets its name. Its immediate predecessor was the rapier.
Feint
The feint is a false attack to one line made to create an opening to another line.
Foil
A "point weapon." Hits or touches can only be scored with the point of the weapon. Originally developed as a practice weapon. Valid hits can only be scored on the torso."
Indirect action
An attack or riposte in which there is a change in line. For example, an indirect riposte occurs when a defender successfully parries, then feints an attack to one line and then changes lines to attack.
Lines
The foil target area is theoretically divided into four lines, or sections: high inside (4), high outside (6), low inside (7), and low outside (8).
Parry
A parry consists of deflecting or blocking the opponents blade before the point (or edge in sabre) hits. A foil fencer who successfully parries an attack then takes "right-of-way." She can then attack her opponent. An attack initiated after a parry is called a riposte.
Points in line
Established by fully extending the weapon arm with the point directly threatening the opponents valid target. The arm should be straight and coincident with the imaginary line formed by the should and the point of the weapon.
Right of way
The priority gained by: 1) attacking first, 2) establishing a point in line that threatens the opponents valid target, 3) taking the blade by beating or parrying. Even if both fencers hit a valid target, only the fencer with right of way scores a point.
Riposte
An attack initiated after a successful parry.
Sabre
A "point and edge weapon." Either the edge or point can be used to score a hit. The valid target area includes any part above the waist including the head and arms.
Stop-hit
This is an attack timed to "steal" right-of-way from an opponent. The stop-hit is successful if it is executed before the opponent initiates the final motion of his attack. For example, an attacking fencer may feint an attack to one line in an attempt to draw a parry, and then attack in another line. If the defending fence can successfully "stop-hit" the attacker during the feint, the stop-hit is "in-time."
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