Parry

Quick meaning: Parry is a verb meaning To avoid, deflect, or ward off (an attack, a blow, an argument, etc.).

Meaning

To avoid, deflect, or ward off (an attack, a blow, an argument, etc.).

More Meanings

1. A defensive or deflective action; an act of parrying.
2. (fencing) A simple defensive action designed to deflect an attack, performed with the forte of the blade.
3. (combat sports, martial arts) A defensive move intended to change the direction of an incoming strike to make it miss its intended target, rather than block and absorb it; and typically performed with an open hand in a downward or sideways slapping motion.

Example Sentences

Wojciech Szczesny was then called into action twice in a minute to parry fierce drives from Djebbour and Torossidis as Arsenal's back four looked all at sea.

One had to be on one's guard when thus confronted and, in the course of my numerous meetings with him, I had on occasion to exercise all my wits and be prepared at a moment's notice to parry a very awkward question, to which I would much rather have given a considered reply.

Word Forms

• parries
• parrying
• parried
• parree

Synonyms for parry

Depending on context, synonyms include parade, elude, circumvent, deflect, evade, block.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include counterpunch, duck, dodge, sidestep, circumvent, evade.

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