Definition

1. Verb:

   • To block or deflect an attack, especially in fencing or boxing: To use a movement to prevent an opponent's blow or thrust from landing.
   • To avoid answering a question or dealing with an issue skillfully: To evade or sidestep a difficult question, duty, or problem.

2. Noun:

   • A defensive action in fencing or boxing: A movement or technique used to block or deflect an attack.
   • A clever evasion of a question or issue: An act of avoiding a direct answer or responsibility.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The fencer parried the lunge with a swift circular motion of her foil.
  • The politician skillfully parried the journalist's probing questions about the scandal.
• Noun:
  • His parry was so effective that it left his opponent off-balance.
  • Her reply was nothing more than a clever parry to avoid the real issue.

Advanced Usage

• "To parry and thrust": In fencing, this describes the basic sequence of a defensive block followed immediately by an offensive attack. It can be used metaphorically in debate or argument.
  • The debate was a rapid exchange of parry and thrust, with neither candidate yielding ground.

Variants and Related Words

• Parrying (gerund/noun): The act of performing a parry.
  • His constant parrying of questions frustrated the interviewers.

Synonyms

• Verb (block): Block, deflect, ward off, fend off.
• Verb (evade): Evade, dodge, sidestep, skirt, avoid, circumvent.
• Noun (defensive move): Block, deflection.
• Noun (evasion): Evasion, dodge.

Related Phrases

• "Parry a blow": To block a physical strike.
  • The boxer parried the blow with his forearm.
• "Parry a question": To avoid giving a direct answer.
  • The CEO parried questions about the company's falling profits.

Idioms

• "To parry and riposte": This idiom comes directly from fencing, where a is a quick offensive action following a successful parry. It is used to describe a quick, clever reply in a conversation or argument.
  • In the press conference, she didn't just parry the accusations; she delivered a sharp riposte that silenced her critics.

Noun

1. a return punch (especially by a boxer)
2. (fencing) blocking a lunge or deflecting it with a circular motion of the sword

Verb

1. avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
   • He dodged the issue
   • she skirted the problem
   • They tend to evade their responsibilities
   • he evaded the questions skillfully
2. impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)
   • block an attack