Glossary

These are just some of the many fencing terms referred to in our salle and in the treatises.

Affondo
an extending step thrust (a form of lunge)

Battre de main
a hand parry - a beat of the hand

Battuta
(a beat) a distracting hit (bat) to force the adversary's blade off line or evoke a response

Bind
the action of pressuring or enveloping the adversary's blade/point in order to carry it off line and make an opening

Botta de tempo
(attack-in-time) countering or attacking when the opponent is distracted and/or unprepared

Botta dritta
a straight attack - a right hit

Botte de paysan
a two-handed attack made by grabbing the blade near the middle with the free hand and closing-in to knock aside an opponent's weapon and thrust

Cavatione
A circular disengage of the blade

Falso Dritto
Cuts to the wrists with the false-edge.

Falso Filo
Attacks with the false-edge or diagonal upward cuts using the back of the sword.

Falso Manco
A reverse cut using the false edge, often used against the opponents sword and then followed by a turn of the blade and a mandritto to the head.

Filo
Italian for the sword's edge

Foyne (a punta)
a Stab, a thrust , a point

Gioco larga
Large game

Gioco stretto
Close game

Mezzo
Middle (half) centre point of the blade for example

Misura Larga
Distance at which a strike can be made by a step, by a pass, or by a lunge

Misura Stretta
distance at which a strike can be made by simply leaning in with an extension

Pass
A step foreward or back where one foot fully passes the other

Passo
A step

Passato Sotto
To duck under an attack, for example with a drop onto the free hand to deliver a counter thrust.

Pronation
gripping the sword with knuckles up and palm down (hand in seconda)

Scanso
A void by moving the rear foot behind the lead foot allowing the attackers sword to pass in front of your body usually accompanied by a counter thrust

Stringere
To bind, to clasp, to clinch, to force or constrian. In fencing, to gain dominence on an adversaries blade by pushing the blade forward, leading with the point, to dominate the apponants foible and create an open line to strike.

Stesso Tempo
To parry and riposte in one action, often a deflecting counter-attack

Slope Pace
A diagonal step to the left or right of you opponant

Spada solo
Italian for fencing with a single sword

Stocatto (also Stoccado - florio 1611)
A straigh thrust, foyne, stab

Stocatta Lunga
A lunge using a straight thrust - stocatto

Stop-Thrust
A a counter thrust attack into the opponent's forward movement or oncoming attack

Stringere (verb) Stesso (past tense)
maintaining contact or opposition with the opponent's blade so as to control it

Supination (hand in supination)
Gripping the sword with knuckles down and palm up, hand in quarta (fourth)

Terzo
Italian term for the middle portion of a blade

Traverse
A forward or backward diagonal side-stepping move employed with a parry, void, or passing attack

Vita
The waist (in fencing and modern Italian), its meaning has evolved over the last 500 years or so, it also can mean life, spirit, natural vigour, form, fashion, manner of living, stature or proportion om man or woman.