A glossary of some basic terms and concepts in fencing

beat: An action in which one fencer uses his weapon to tap or strike the other's blade. A beat can be violent or gentle. It can serve to startle or annoy an opponent or to change the timing of actions to follow.
bell: That portion of a fencing weapon located between the blade and the grip which protects the hand and fingers.
bout: A name for the contest between two fencers. A bout has some given maximum time length and continues until the time expires or one fencer scores a certain number of valid touches on the opponent.
centering up: The action wherein both fencers return to the center of the piste, and stand behind their respective en garde lines. Fencers most often "center up" after a point has been scored.
cross-over advance: A method of advancing in which the rear foot is first placed before the front foot. The step is completed by replacing the front foot the proper distance before the rear foot.
deceive: A blade motion in which the attacker defeats a parry by causing the blade to not be found by the parry. The parry completely misses the attacking blade.
Director: That person who oversees and directs the course of action of a bout. The Director (or sometimes President) is responsible for the safety and fairness of the bout.
disengage: The blade action of undoing an engaged position. When blades are engaged, neither fencer can easily make a straight extension toward the opponents valid target area. Engaged blades are usually physically at odds with each other. A "disengage" brings the blade into a position where a straight attack can be made towards the valid target.
distance game: Distance in fencing refers to the distance between the two fencers. It is clear that a certain large distance is too far apart for either fencer to attack effectively. It is also clear that a certain small distance is entirely too close for either fencer to defend successfully against the other. Somewhere in between these two extremes is a distance at which each fencer feels they can fence effectively. Proper distance is different for each fencer and, to some extent, depends on physical size, stature and fencing style.
The distance game is that portion of the tactics and actions in fencing which change, control or manipulate the distance between the two fencers.
double touch: In the epee fencing style, both fencers may score in the same fencing exchange or phrase (ie, at the same time.)
electric fencing: A system of fencing in which each fencer uses special weapons. The points of these weapons contain small switches, and wires glued to the blade of each weapon carry an electric signal when the point is pressed upon the opponent. These signals are carried through a thin cable which is attached to the back of each fencer. The cable tails away into a spring-wound reel which sets on the floor at the end of the piste. The reels are in turn connected to the scoring machine.
en garde: Or sometimes "stance." The entire position a fencer assumes when prepared to fence.
epee (ep'-ay): One of three classic (or sometimes olympic) fencing weapons. An epee is roughly a meter in length and made mostly of steel. The blade portion is triangular in cross-section and ends in a "point." The point is about the size and shape of a pencil's eraser for safety. Below the blade is the bell and behind the bell is some form of a grip.
equipment: A thoroughly dressed fencer wears or carries the following basic equipment: A mask, a glove on the weapon hand, a jacket fully covering the arms, and pants of a protective nature. Under most conditions, an addition under-arm protector is worn under the jacket. Fencers may sometimes wear special shoes or a glove on the non-weapon hand for additional safety.
expulsion: A blade action in which an attacking fencer forcefully expells or throws his opponent's blade off line. After being expelled, the defender's tip will no longer threaten valid target areas on the attacker and the defender's ability to defend is likely compromised.
fleche (flesh): From "arrow". A method of attacking in which the point of the weapon leads the attack followed by the rest of the body in a somewhat straight line. The method is not legal with all weapons and has a "flying" through the air appearance. Executed properly, it is launched off of the front leg which straightens out and leaves the floor last. The rear leg is brought forward by pulling the rear knee up and forward to help in imparting momentum to the flight. A proper fleche travels forward and not upward. The attacker lands on what was his rear foot while the original front foot lags behind.
foil: One of three classic (or olympic) fencing weapons. A foil is square in cross-section and flexible. Opponents score only with the tip of the foil. The rules of foil require a successful defense before one can successfully counter-attack or score in response to an attack.
foot work: Refers to the motions and positions of the legs and feet. A fencer with good foot work would be well balanced and able to move effectively as needed.
gloves: Leather gloves worn to protect the hands and wrists. It is required that each fencer wear a glove on the hand in which they hold their weapon. Some fencers choose to wear a glove on their off hand since, with certain weapons, the off-hand is valid target.
ground: The concept that each fencer possesses a certain amount of distance over which they can retreat. Each retreat gives up a certain amount of that distance which the oppenent can then use over which to retreat. While not part of the scoring in fencing, losing ground has an obvious tactical disadvantage.
half-step retreat: A method of retreating in which the rear foot and leg are moved as if in a normal retreat, while the front leg remains still. This "half-of-a-retreat" gives up little or no ground while moving the defender's valid target slightly backward.
hooking up: Slang for everything that is entailed in connecting all of the necessary wires and plugs before fencing in an electrically scored bout.
lines: A weapon, or more specifically, the point of a weapon, is "in line" when it threatens a valid target area. Changing lines is to move the blade and point so as to threaten a new target area. All possible lines are classified into high (roughly above the navel) and low (below the navel) lines.
loosening the guard: A slang fencing term meaning to take up an en garde position or to modify one's stance so as to have an imperfect position. In epee this usually means displacing the hand or arm, or angulating the blade slightly so as to expose the hand or forearm to a possible attack.
lunge: A method of attacking in which the front leg is lifted and thrown forward to land heal-then-toes on the floor far in front of the fencer. The rear leg is straightened quickly to cause the fencer to move forward rather then settling drastically downward.
mask: A protective helmet made of a tightly-woven, steel mesh. A cloth "bib" is attached to the lower limits of the mask to protect the neck. While the back of a mask is open, if viewed from the side it completely covers the sides of the head.
parry: A form of defense wherein the defender's blade displaces the attacker's blade, thereby taking it out of some line.
piste (pee'-st): The marked area upon which fencers compete. Roughly 1.5 meters wide and 12-14 meters long, and has a perimeter marking. In addition, there is one line across the width marking the end-to-end center. A warning line exists one meter in from each end of the piste so that the fencers can judge the end of the piste without looking behind. Two en garde lines exist, each about 2 meters away from the center line behind which the fencers begin initially.
pressure: The concept of preventing an opponent from attacking by keeping them busy with their defense.
pris de fer (pree-d'-fur): Or taking the blade. The defender's blade is moved and placed in some other position usually in preparation for an attack into that new line exposed by the removing of the defender's blade.
riposte (ri'-post): A defensive action with the blade, usually performed after a parry, which attempts to score upon the opponent. The physical movements involved in a riposte are similar to an attack, the distinction concerns when and why the attempt to score was made. An attack leads an attempt to score, while a riposte follows a defense against an attack.
scoring machine: An electrical device which signals via lights and sound when one (or both) fencers have touched the other successfully. In certain weapons, the scoring machine also indicates whether the touch was on or off target.
salute: The action of respectfully raising and lowering one's blade toward the opponent, Director, score and time keepers and spectators.
slip: A defensive action in which the fencer withdraws his lower body and legs from an attack while leaving the weapon, weapon arm and upper body in position.
stop hit: A defensive action in which the defender attempts to score upon the attacker before the attacker can complete the attack. Since, in epee, there is only a small time frame in which both fencers can score, an attack can be made irrelevant by scoring in this manner. Classically, a stop hit would disarm or wound the opponent thus preventing the completion of the attack.
testing weapons: The act of checking the proper behavior of the weapons, cables and scoring machine. Weapons are usually tested once before the bout and during the bout if anything appears to be malfunctioning.
time limit: A fencing bout continues until a time limit is reached, usually three or five minutes. Each time the Director halts the bout, fencing time is stopped. It is restarted when the Director restarts the bout. The victor, score, etc. are decided according to certain rules if time expires before one fencer scores the necessary number of points.
touche (too'-sh): Meaning a touch or to touch. As slang it means to be scored upon in a manner similar to manner in which one recently scored upon the opponent.
volte (volt): (Described for a right-handed fencer.) A defensive action in which the left, rear leg is placed even with and to the RIGHT of the front leg. This has the effect of moving the entire body sideways and twisting the body so as to make it more difficult to be scored upon.