parry

_parry_

Verb.

Pronunciation and accent: pærɪ.

Etymology: from French “parez”, imperative of parer; and, this one, from Italian parare (= to parry), from Latin parare (= to prepare).

Preterite tense: parried (pærɪd). Preterite participle: parried.

Present participle: parrying.

Intransitively: to parry a thrust, blow, etc.; to repel or ward off a blow; to force back the weapon with which the antagonist tries to hit, by opposing to it one’s own weapon or a means of protection.

Translation: parer un coup, in French; parar un golpe, in Spanish; parare un colpo, in Italian.

[…] by this mode of parrying, your fencing must become very “ungrateful” but it should be understood that I am speaking of its real utility alone, to avoid being hit, and not of the “graces”.

Joseph Roland… The Amateur of Fencing

With that he closed on me, in a very different style from his former attack. Pushing and parrying with the rapidity of lightning, he evinced a skill in 'skirmish'.

Charles Lever… Tom Burke of "Ours"

I trembled for Rabenmark, for I knew that he was bad at parrying, and that his only chance of success with his present adversary was in a desperate and furious attack. He was, however, now obliged to act on the defensive, and he stood his ground at first very well.

John Motley… Morton’s Hope

Transitively: 1. To turn aside or ward off (a thrust, a weapon, a blow, etc.) in fighting against someone.

Synonyms: to fend off, repel, force back, turn aside.

 Instead of [letting fall] his weapon when he received mine, he returned the thrust. I parried it, and touched him again, a little lower down.

Charles Lever… Tom Burke of "Ours"

But that was no strife to be ended at a blow; and they closed, foot to foot, dealing at each other sweeping blows, which could not be parried, and could scarcely be avoided, but which were warded off by their armor of proof.

Henry Herbert… Wager of Battle

The weapons met with the quickness of lightning, and though the event seemed to all appearance to depend most upon which was the strongest arm, yet the blows, however irregular and fierce, were frequently parried off with great skill, as each in turn became the assailant.

Museum of Foreign Literature

So saying, he changed his mode of fighting, collected himself, as if to stand on the defensive, and seemed contented with parrying, instead of returning, the blows which Quentin unceasingly aimed at him.

Walter Scott… Quentin Durward

2. Metaphor: to prevent the incidence or occurrence of (anything unpleasant); to avoid answering.

He began to ask questions, and indeed to show himself inquisitive, remarking on the strange fact of a young man travelling alone through disturbed country at such a time. Jack good-humouredly parried enquiries that seemed too direct, merely explaining that he had been on a visit to Salamanca, and was riding across country because, having heard rumours that the French were in possession of Valladolid, he had no wish to [become captive].

Herbert Strang… The Light brigade in Spain

"He is not a wench, is he?" replied Griffith, parrying the knight's question with an interrogatory of his own.

William Bennet… Malpas

English words derived from PARRY: parried, parrying, unparriable.

To learn or remember other words derived from latin parare, see PARE.