Glossary
Abrazare: to wrestle.
Accressere: to step forwards without passing
alla traversa: across
Bicorno: two-horned. Specifically a guard position.
Breve: short. Specifically a guard position.
Colpo: a blow, either cut or thrust
Destra: on the right
Discressere: to step back without passing
Donna: lady. Specifically a guard position.
Falsa: false
Fendente: a descending blow
Fenestra: window. Specifically a guard position.
Fora di strada: off the line; as in “accresco fora di strada”, “I step off the line”
Frontale: frontal. Specifically a guard position.
Ligadura: a lock. Ligadura soprana= high lock; ligadura mezana= middle lock; ligadura sottana= lower lock.
Longa: long. Specifically a guard position.
Mandritto: forehand
Meza/ mezana: middle or half, depending on context.
Mezano: one of the 6 blows, these are horizontal. Literally, “middle blow”.
Passare: to pass; to step passing one foot past the other.
Passo: a passing step; also the space between your feet. Hence “passo alla traversa”, pass across.
Porta di ferro: iron door. Specifically a guard position, either middle (mezana) or whole (tutta).
Posta: Guard position. Plural poste.
Punta: point (of a weapon), or a thrust.
Rebattere: to beat aside, specifically an incoming weapon.
Remedio: remedy; specifically the defence against an attack, usually some form of parry.
Rompere: to break, as in rompere di punta, to break the thrust (a defensive action).
Roverso: backhand
Scambiare: to exchange. Specifically, scambiare di punta, the exchange of thrust (a defensive action).
Sinestra: on the left.
Sottano: a rising blow.
Strada: way, line. Specifically the line between two fencers. Usually in context “fora di strada”, off the line.
Tondo: a horizontal blow (as mezano).
Tornare: to pass backwards.
Tutta: whole or full.
Vera croce: true cross. Specifically a guard position.
Volta: turn, specifically volta stabile, stable turn; meza volta, half turn; tutta volta, whole turn.
Zenghiaro: wild boar. Specifically a guard position. Usual form “posta di dente di zenghiaro”, position of the wild boar’s tooth.
Zogho largo: wide play. Specifically actions with weapons that occur at wide measure.
Zogho stretto: close play. Specifically actions with or without weapons that occur in close measure.
These terms are frequently combined, such as the names of the blows; mandritto fendente, for example, is a forehand descending blow.
Accressere: to step forwards without passing
alla traversa: across
Bicorno: two-horned. Specifically a guard position.
Breve: short. Specifically a guard position.
Colpo: a blow, either cut or thrust
Destra: on the right
Discressere: to step back without passing
Donna: lady. Specifically a guard position.
Falsa: false
Fendente: a descending blow
Fenestra: window. Specifically a guard position.
Fora di strada: off the line; as in “accresco fora di strada”, “I step off the line”
Frontale: frontal. Specifically a guard position.
Ligadura: a lock. Ligadura soprana= high lock; ligadura mezana= middle lock; ligadura sottana= lower lock.
Longa: long. Specifically a guard position.
Mandritto: forehand
Meza/ mezana: middle or half, depending on context.
Mezano: one of the 6 blows, these are horizontal. Literally, “middle blow”.
Passare: to pass; to step passing one foot past the other.
Passo: a passing step; also the space between your feet. Hence “passo alla traversa”, pass across.
Porta di ferro: iron door. Specifically a guard position, either middle (mezana) or whole (tutta).
Posta: Guard position. Plural poste.
Punta: point (of a weapon), or a thrust.
Rebattere: to beat aside, specifically an incoming weapon.
Remedio: remedy; specifically the defence against an attack, usually some form of parry.
Rompere: to break, as in rompere di punta, to break the thrust (a defensive action).
Roverso: backhand
Scambiare: to exchange. Specifically, scambiare di punta, the exchange of thrust (a defensive action).
Sinestra: on the left.
Sottano: a rising blow.
Strada: way, line. Specifically the line between two fencers. Usually in context “fora di strada”, off the line.
Tondo: a horizontal blow (as mezano).
Tornare: to pass backwards.
Tutta: whole or full.
Vera croce: true cross. Specifically a guard position.
Volta: turn, specifically volta stabile, stable turn; meza volta, half turn; tutta volta, whole turn.
Zenghiaro: wild boar. Specifically a guard position. Usual form “posta di dente di zenghiaro”, position of the wild boar’s tooth.
Zogho largo: wide play. Specifically actions with weapons that occur at wide measure.
Zogho stretto: close play. Specifically actions with or without weapons that occur in close measure.
These terms are frequently combined, such as the names of the blows; mandritto fendente, for example, is a forehand descending blow.