*This list excludes terms of modern sport fencing either not taken from historical manuals of the period, or not directly related to the use of the rapier or of the renaissance cut & thrust sword. They include only those technical terms of modern sport fencing that are relevant to describing and reconstructing the practice of historical renaissance swordsmanship today. Thus, much current French and Italian terminology used in or developed for modern sport fencing has been excluded. This list is by no means all-inclusive, nor is it intended to be a sole lexicon for a rapier fighter, rather a starting point from which to prosper.
Concepts
Atajo – in the Spanish schools, the idea of taking control of the opponent’s blade, essentially a prise de fer
Bill of Challenge
A formal posted announcement of
an English student's public "Playing" of his
"Prize".
Botta-in-tempo
(Attack in time) attack
while the adversary's preoccupied with a parry, bind, or feint.
Botta Secreta
A secret attack or special hidden
technique of a school or master.
Cartel
A hand delivered written notice
of challenge describing the cause of the offence that provoked a duel of
honor.
Cobb's Traverse
Retreating indefinitely (running
away, sometimes called the "ninth parry").
Corporation of the London Masters
of Defence
The guild of English instructors
of fighting and fence in the 1500s, it had four levels of fighter: Scholar,
Free Scholar, Provost, and Master, as well as four "Ancient Masters".
Coup de grace
The dagger stroke given to mercifully
end the suffering of a wounded duelist (originally used to execute a defeated
knight in heavy plate armor).
Coup de Jarnac
A Renaissance term for a crippling
blow to the back of the opponent's exposed knee or hamstring (so called
due to a famous judicial duel, it was not a new strike at all, but did
become well known and quite notorious).
Coup de main
A kill by a single, smooth, quick
thrust or cut.
Desvio
In later Spanish schools of fence
the technique of redirecting an attacking blow with a deflecting action
rather than a solid block
Draw cut
A slicing cut made when close in
by placing the edge against the target and quickly drawing it across or
down, typically applied with stepping back or a reverse-pass.
Duel
Personal single combat, usually
illicit and illegal, sometimes of gentlemanly or even honorable character
Due spada
(Sometimes called "Florentine"
within the SCA) a fighting style simultaneously using two rapiers (a "case
of rapiers " or "brace").
En guarde
To come "on guard" (ready your
weapon and self for the fight).
Engagement
Contacting or crossing (opposing)
the adversary's blade.
Escrime
French for fencing, or the art
of fence.
Fence/Art of Fence
A word for swordsmanship derived
from the Middle English "defence", as distinguished from the modern sport
of "fencing" with its origins in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Filo
Italian for the sword's edge.
Fingering
To wrap the lead (and sometime
second finger and thumb) around the quillons and ricasso for superior tip
control and grip, an innovative method of gripping known since ancient
times, it found greatest use with Renaissance blades.
First blood
A duel that is fought only to the
first sight of drawn blood as opposed to "to the death" or to the opponent
"yielding".
Four Governors
One way of looking at the major
factors in swordsmanship: perception, distance, timing, and technique.
Gripping
Holding of the sword: cut &
thrust swords and rapiers were held in a 45 degree position, as opposed
to the "hammer" grip as with medieval swords, and also utilized the concept
of "fingering" the ricasso, both may be held in a "normal" grip as that
when "pointing" the index finger, or in a pronated or supinated position.
Giving the lie
The name given to the act of offending
the honor of another gentleman or his lady through insult, innuendo, or
wit, it was cause for challenge to duel (e.g., "You disagree, when I say
you have offended me, Sir? Are you then calling me a liar?").
Grypes
Techniques for seizure (grabbing
the adversary's blade, hilt, or arm). Generally illegal in SCA Rapier.
Guard
(Italian: guardia, sing.
guardie) - guard positions, wards, fighting stances, ready postures,
a position for offense and/or defense (also the protective hilt of a blade,
as in compound guard, cross guard, back guard, counter guard, ring guard.
etc.).
Guardant Ward
A Hanging guard, similar to Prime,
Silver also distinguishes between True and Bastard Guardants.
Hanging guard
A ward with point down and to the
inside and the arm raise above.
High Ward
The weapon is held centered over
the head, Silver’s Open ward (perhaps so called because you are open to
making any attack), roughly 45-degrees, identical to medieval long-sword
high postures.
Il duello
Single combat/duel.
Inside or Left Back Ward
Weapon held point back and down
to the left, close to the hip, Viggiani’s "fourth guard wide", identical
to a left Tail guard for medieval long-sword.
In-the-Round
Sword fighting that is not linear
as with the small sword and modern sport fencing, but uses sidesteps and
diagonal movements (voids and traverses).
Invitation
Positioning that intentionally
exposes openings to purposely draw attacks.
Just Distance
The distance ("measure") where
if you are close enough to hit your opponent, they are also close enough
to hit you.
La Destreza
A Spanish term translating as dexterity,
skill, ability, (or) art and meaning "Philosophy of the Weapons" or "The
Art and Science" of fighting
Left Back Ward
Inside guard, Viggiani’s "fourth
guard wide", like the Tail guard in medieval methods.
Line (Line of Attack)
One of the four areas by which
to attack: high outside (sixte & tierce), high inside (quarte &
prime), low outside (octave & seconde), and low inside (septime &
quinte). These areas also correspond to types of parries.
Low Guard
With the weapon held point down
and centered, Silver’s Variable ward, identical to medieval long-sword
low postures.
Media Proporcional – in the later Spanish schools, the key concept of achieving and maintaining proper distance of weapon and body to the opponent’s weapon and body
Mezzo
Middle (half) of the blade.
Middle Guard
Silver’s Close ward (perhaps so
called because the blade closes nearer to the opponent), the weapon is
held centered aimed at the opponent over the head, identical to medieval
long-sword middle postures.
Molinello
Circular cut.
Master of Defence
A Renaissance instructor of swordsmanship
or fence and other fighting arts.
Measure
Judging of distance in fighting.
Misura
Measure or distance and range (close
or short, wide or tight, in or out).
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.
On-the-Pass
To cut with a forward or outward
step, a standard means of forcefully striking or stabbing in cut &
thrust swordsmanship, often used with a traverse or void.
Outside-Ward (Low Outside-Ward)
With the sword held back and down
to the right, like a Back or Tail guard with a medieval long-sword.
Playing the Prize
The public testing of a student
for advancement in the English schools of Defence.
Parrier-dolch
German term for using the dagger's
quillons to trap a sword blade.
Prima (Prima Gaurdia, or Reverse,
or Guardant)
The high outside ward, pronated
point-on assumed after the natural position of drawing the weapon from
the scabbard.
Pronation
Gripping the sword with knuckles
up and palm down.
Provost
The third level of the four rankings
in English schools of Defence.
Punta
Point.
Push Cut
A slicing cut made when close in by placing the edge against the target and quickly pushing it forwardinto the opponent, typically applied when a thrust has missed.
Raffine
A swordsman bully who will provoke
a duel on the slightest pretext or cause.
Rapier & Cloak (Spada e Capa)
A method of fighting using a common
cloak or robe for defense.
Rapier & Dagger (Spada e
Pugnale)
A method of fighting using the
addition of a parrying dagger in the other hand.
Seizure
To grab the adversary's blade or
hilt.
Scherma
Italian for fencing.
Scholar's privilege
In Renaissance schools of Defence,
the exclusion of attacks to the face during practice with novices.
Seconda
(Second), broad or wide ward in
di Grassi and others.
Second
In a formal duel, the neutral party
for each side that stands in as witness and arbiter.
Slipping
Gaining reach by sliding the hand
down the grip to the pommel when striking with a cutting blade (also throwing
out a one handed thrust with a pole arm).
Spada solo
Italian for single sword, usually
use of the rapier alone without a secondary weapon.
Sport Fencing
(Collegiate/Olympic modern fencing)
a refined, formalized sport based upon the movements of the small sword
of the 1700s and early 1800s which was descended from the rapier.
Stop-Thrust
A counter thrust attack into the
opponent's forward movement or oncoming attack.
Stringering
Maintaining contact or opposition
with the opponent's blade so as to control it.
Supination
Gripping the sword with knuckles
down and palm up
Swashbuckler
An Elizabethan youth or ruffian
often predisposed to street fight and duel, so called by the "swashing"
sound created by sword and buckler on the belt as the youth swaggered about
town. More likely derived from any person who roved the town, usually in
gangs, hitting his sword against his buckler as a way of challenging innocent
passers-bye to a fight. The term "swash" also has more than one meaning.
In older English swish or swishing, meant "to hit". There is also proof
of the term swash being used in the context of hitting with the sword,
e.g. delivering a ‘"swash blow", also expressions such as, "swashing a
drum" to describe its playing or beating.
Stances
(Fighting stances) wards or guards:
e.g., high, middle, low, open, close, prime, seconda, terza, and guardant/hanging.
Sword & Buckler (Spada e
brochiero)
A method of combat using a rapier
and small shield (buckler).
Taglio
Cut.
Tempo
Time or moment/action with timing.
Terza
Low, back Inside (right) ward,
for a cut & thrust sword. Viggiani’s "Terza" or third, blade at a 45
degree angle down, for a rapier it is the blade held back and lower, closer
to the hip, usually in a reverse stance.
Tutte botte principali
Principle cuts and thrusts.
Variable Ward
Silver’s low guard (also a name
for all other manner of guards not Open, Close, or Guardant).
Ward
One of five to seven fighting postures,
ready stances, or guards.
Techniques
Affondo
An extending step thrust (a form
of lunge).
Arrebatar
(Spanish) to cut with the whole
arm (from the shoulder).
Azioni Volanti
Avoiding blade contact on the attack
and instead thrusting by deceptive motion (may involve Troumpement
- avoiding a parry or the blade as you attack, or Derobement - avoiding
a beat or bind).
Ballestra
A kicking feint and hop lunge.
Battre de main
A hand parry.
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/In Tempo (attack-in-time)
Countering or attacking when the
opponent is distracted and/or unprepared.
Botta dritta
A straight attack (thrust).
Battuta (a beat)
A distracting smack to move the
adversary's blade off line or evoke a response.
Coupe' (cut-off)
A quick disengage over the top
of the adversary's blade, often after their parry, basically a cut-over.
Cut-over
Altering the line of the attack
by passing the blade over the adversary's point, basically a coupe'.
Disengage
Deceptively altering the line of
attack by passing the blade under the adversary's point (said to have been
first devised from observing the bobbing motions of fighting cocks).
Dritto-Filo
Cuts with the true (right) edge.
Estramacon
French term for the Stromazone.
Falsing
Subtly faking the intention or
the line of an attack (a form of feinting).
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
Cuts to the knees with the false
edge.
Fendente'
Vertical downwards cut (right or
left of guard).
Finda (feint)
A false attack or action designed
to elicit a response and create an opening
Fleche' - ("arrow")
Passing the adversary on the attack, a form of running attack.
Full Pass
A form of lunge in which the rear
leg moves to the lead with a thrust or cut.
"Giving the blade"
An intentional threatening extension
of the arm and weapon designed to provoke a response that can then be countered.
Imbrocatta
Thrust over top of the adversary's
blade or grip.
Lunga (Stocatta Lunga or Lunge)
A far-reaching thrusting attack
using a forward step of the lead leg with a push off the rear leg, it was
used in various forms during the Renaissance, (also a punta sopramano).
Mandoble
A light slash of the point delivered
by a flick of the wrist. ‘Tip-cut’
Mandritti
An attack cutting from the right
to the left.
Mediatajo
Cuts made from the "elbow" (faster
than from the shoulder but not as strong).
Montante (Montante Sotto Mano)
A straight upward cut with the
false edge (right or left of the adversary's guard).
Parry
To block, defense by the deliberate
resistance of an attack by imposing the blade before it, from 6 to 8 are
used to the inside/outside and high/low areas or lines.
Pass
Stepping the rear leg to the lead
(or a reverse pass where the lead leg falls back) as in a "cut made on
the pass", one major difference from the linear fencing of the modern sport
version.
Passatto Sotto/Batte de nuit
To duck under an attack with a
drop onto the free hand to deliver a counter thrust.
Patinado
A quick forward step and lunge.
Prise de fer
To bind or take the blade.
Punta Reversa
Thrust to left/outside of the adversary's
blade or grip.
Punta Sopramano (Lunge or Stocatta
Lunga)
A straight thrust lunge.
Quartatta (Incartata)
A rear leg side step around to
the outside made with a counter-thrust.
Redoppio
Diagonal rising cuts (German Unterhau).
Redoublement
Quickly renewing the attack after
a feint, beat, or bind.
Reversi
An attack cutting from left to
right.
Reprise
Renewing the attack after a quick
return to guard.
Riposte
A counter-attack immediately following
a parry, usually in one action, an idea that became more effective with
the rapier and perfected with the small-sword (common in the modern sport).
Seconde' (seconda)
Middle ward, with the blade up
at a 45-degree angle (one of the major cut & thrust stances or guards).
Scandiaglio
Probing actions (feints, beats,
etc.) to test and discover the opponent's nature.
Slip
To pull back some just prior to
countering or stop-thrusting.
Squalembrato
A diagonal cut down or up (mandritta
squalembrato = right-to-left, collar-to-waist cut).
Stocatta
A thrust low under the adversary's
blade or grip.
Stocatta Lunga (Lunga or Punta
Sopramano)
A lunge and low straight thrust.
Stop-Thrust/Stop-Cut
A preemptive counter attack into
the opponent's forward motion.
Stromacione (stromazone)
A tearing tip-cut, usually to the
face, used to harass or distract.
Stesso Tempo
To parry and riposte in one action,
often a deflecting counter-attack.
Tonda
A horizontal cut (mandritti tonda
= side cut right-to-left, reversi tonda = side cut left-to-right).
Traverse
A forward or backward diagonal
side-stepping move employed with a parry, void, or passing attack.
Volte
A rear leg side-step and void made
with a thrust attack, it allows the adversary's attack to slip past as
a counter-thrust angles in, it is a form of half Quartatta.
Void
(voyd or voyded) To evade or avoid
an attack rather than directly parry, often by a simple side step or pass,
used preferably to parrying.