Glossary of Italian fencing terms explained

See also: Glossary of fencing. Many of the historical techniques currently listed here come from the teachings of Fiore dei Liberi or the Bolognese / Dardi School.[1]

A

a voi
  • phrase, lit. "to you"
    1. Spoken by the director at outset to turn control over to the fencers. Full commencing phrase is "In guardia. Pronti/-e? A voi"

    B

    balestra
  • noun f. (plural balestre), lit. "crossbow"
    1. A footwork preparation, consisting of a jump or hop forwards with an immediate lunge. This is the definition found in the French national fencing glossary, though it is common in the English world for balestra to refer to only a jump. Jumps are faster than a normal step, which helps change the rhythm and timing of moves

    C

    colpo fendente
  • noun m. (plural colpi fendenti), lit. "cleaving blow" [''fendente'' cognate with English ''fend'', both deriving from Latin ''findō'' ("cleave, split")]
    1. (Fiore) A descending blow which parts the body from the teeth to the knee. Follows the same path as the cut which Dardi authors called mandritto squalembrato
    1. (Dardi school) A descending vertical cut[1]

    Abbr. fendente

    colpo mezano
  • noun m. (plural colpi mezani), lit. "middle blow"
    1. A blow which goes through the middle of fendenti e sottani, delivered with the true edge on the mandritto side and the false edge on the riverso side. Its path is "between the knee and the head"

    Abbr. mezano

    colpo sottano
  • noun m. (plural colpi sottani), (archaic) "lower blow"
    1. A rising blow which parts the body from the knees to the middle of the forehead

    Abbr. sottano

    D

    dritto
  • adjective m. (plural dritti), lit. "right (side)"
    1. Describes any cut that starts on the fencer's right side. Applies to cuts: falso dritto, fendente dritto, molinetto dritto, e tramazzone dritto.[1] Antonyms: riverso e manco

    F

    falso
  • noun m. (plural falsi), lit. "right (side)"
    1. A rising cut made with the false edge of the blade on the same line as either colpo squalembrato[1]

    adjective m.

    1. Describes any cut made with the false edge of the blade[1]
    fendente
  • noun m. (plural fendenti)
    1. Abbr. of colpo fendente

    I

    imbroccata
  • noun f. (plural imbroccate)
    1. An overhand descending thrust[1]
    in guardia
  • phrase, lit. "en garde"
    1. Spoken by the director to alert fencers to take their stances. Full commencing phrase is "In guardia. Pronti/-e? A voi"
    in quartata
  • phrase
    1. An evasive action that is recognized under category of the defensive actions (See also
      1. passata-sotto
      ), made with a quarter turn to the inside that conceals the front but exposes the back. This attempts to move some of the target out of harm’s way during an attack or a counter-attack. This evasive action is often executed and used in conjunction with opposition parry

    M

    manco
  • adjective m. (plural manchi), lit. "right (side)". antonyms: riverso, dritto
    1. Describes any cut that starts on the fencer's left side. Applies to cuts: falso manco, fendente manco, molinetto manco, e tramazzone manco[1]
    mandritto
  • noun m. (plural mandritti). antonyms: riverso, colpo manco
    1. Any cut that starts on the fencer's right side[1]
    1. A descending right-to-left diagonal cut on the line from ear to knee, mirroring riverso squalembrato.[1] Also called mandritto squalembrato>
    mezano
  • noun m. (plural mezani)
    1. Abbr. of colpo mezano
    molinetto
  • noun m. (plural molinetti)
    1. A certain rotational cut[1]
    montando
  • adjective m. (plural montandi), gerund of montare ("to climb")
    1. Describes an ascending cut[1]
    montante
  • noun m. (plural montanti), past participle of montare ("to climb")
    1. An ascending vertical cut[1]

    P

    passata-sotto
  • noun f.
    1. An evasive action which is initiated by dropping a hand to the floor and lowering the body under the opponent's oncoming blade. Often accompanied by a straightening of the sword arm to attempt a hit on the opposing combatant
    patinando
  • noun & verb (plural patinandi), gerund of patinare ("to patine")
    1. A quickly executed advance-lunge
    posta breve
  • noun f. (plural poste brevi)
    1. The short guard
    posta breve la serpentina
  • noun f. (plural poste brevi la serpentina)
    1. The short serpant guard
    posta dente di zenghiaro[2]
  • noun f. (plural poste dente di zenghiaro)
    1. The boar's tooth guard

    Abbr. dente di zenghiaro

    posta dente di zenghiaro[2] mezana
  • noun f. (plural poste dente di zenghiaro mezane)
  • The middle boar's tooth guard
  • Abbr. dente di zenghiaro mezana
    posta di bicorno
  • noun f.
  • The two-horn guard
    posta di coda longa
  • noun f.
  • The long tail guard. Also posta di choda longa
    posta di coda longa la sinestra
  • noun f.
  • The left-side long tail guard
    posta di crose bastarda
  • noun f.
  • The bastard cross guard, a variant of la posta di vera crose. Taking a pass at the opponent from posta breve la serpentina leaves the fencer in posta di crose bastarda, with the pommel towards the opponent
    posta di corona
  • noun f.
  • The crown guard. Also called posta frontale ("frontal guard")
    posta di donna
  • noun f.
  • The lady guard
    posta di donna la sinestra
  • noun f.
  • The left-side lady guard
    posta di donna la soprano
  • noun f.
  • The high lady guard
    posta di fenestra
  • noun f.
  • The window guard
    posta di fenestra la sinestra
  • noun f.
  • The left-side window guard
    posta di vera crose
  • noun f.
  • The true cross guard
    posta frontale
  • noun f.
  • The frontal guard. Also called posta di corona ("crown guard")
    posta longa
  • noun f.
  • The long guard
    posta mezza porta di ferro
  • noun f.
  • The middle iron gate guard. Also called posta di ferro mezano
    posta porta di ferro
  • noun f.
  • The iron gate guard
    posta porta di ferro la sinestra
  • noun f.
  • The left-side iron gate guard
    posta porta di ferro tutta
  • noun f.
  • The full iron gate guard
    posta saggitaria
  • noun f.
  • The archer's guard
    pronti
  • adjective m. (singular pronto)
    1. Spoken by the director at outset to ask if the fencers are ready to fight. When both fencers are female, the proper word is "pronte." Full commencing phrase is "In guardia. Pronti/-e? A voi"
    1. plural of pronto ("ready")
    punta
  • noun f. (plural punte)
    1. A thrust, whose path is in the middle of the body from the groin to the forehead. Can be made in five ways: Two high—One left one right—(needs work)
    1. lit. "point"

    R

    ricasso
    1. A dull portion of the blade in front of the quillons. In complex rapier and smallsword hilts, the ricasso is behind the guard, or the forward portion of the hilt
    ridoppio
  • noun m. (plural ridoppi)
    1. A rising cut with either edge that immediately follows a descending cut[1]
    1. lit. "redouble"
    riverso
  • noun m. (plural riversi)
    1. Any cut that starts opposite the fencer's dominant side. Antonyms: mandritto, e manco[1]
    1. A certain descending diagonal cut on the line from ear to knee. Also called riverso squalembrato. Mirror of mandritto squalembrato[1]

    S

    stoccata
  • noun f. (plural stoccate)
    1. A rising thrust[1]
    sonno serpentino lo soprano
  • noun m. (plural sonni serpentini lo soprano)
    1. Sleeping high serpent (guard)
    squalembrato
  • adjective m. (plural squalembrati)
    1. Describes any descending diagonal cut on the line from ear to knee. Applies to i colpi mandritto e riverso. Reverse of il falso[1]

    T

    tondo
  • adjective m. (plural tondi)
    1. Describes a cut which travels horizontally. Applies to i colpi mandritto e riverso
    1. lit. "circular"
    tramazzone
  • noun m. (plural colpi tramazzoni )
    1. A certain rotational cut[1]
    traversato
  • adjective m. (plural traversati)
    1. Describes a blow made across the line of engagement
    1. past participle of traversare ("to cross")

    Notes and References

    1. Antonio Manciolino. Opera Nova. 1531.
    2. Note: Spelling of zenghiaro varies in manuscripts: zenghiaro, zengiaro, zenchiaro, cenghiaro, cengiaro.

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