# Glossary of Italian fencing terms

Many of the historical techniques currently listed here come from the teachings of Fiore dei Liberi or the Bolognese / Dardi School.

## A
### a voi

    phrase, lit. "to you"
   * 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"
   * 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")]
   * (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
   * (Dardi school) A descending vertical cut
       Abbr. fendente

### colpo mezano

    noun m. (plural colpi mezani), lit. "middle blow"
   * 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"
   * 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)"
   * Describes any cut that starts on the fencer's right side. Applies to cuts: falso dritto, fendente dritto, molinetto dritto, e tramazzone dritto. Antonyms: riverso e manco

## F
### falso

    noun m. (plural falsi), lit. "right (side)"
   * A rising cut made with the false edge of the blade on the same line as either colpo squalembrato
    adjective m.
   * Describes any cut made with the false edge of the blade

### fendente

    noun m. (plural fendenti)
   * Abbr. of colpo fendente

## I
### imbroccata

    noun f. (plural imbroccate)
   * An overhand descending thrust

### in guardia

    phrase, lit. "en garde"
   * Spoken by the director to alert fencers to take their stances. Full commencing phrase is "In guardia. Pronti/-e? A voi"

### in quartata

    phrase
   * An evasive action that is recognized under category of the defensive actions (See also #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
   * Describes any cut that starts on the fencer's left side. Applies to cuts: falso manco, fendente manco, molinetto manco, e tramazzone manco

### mandritto

    noun m. (plural mandritti). antonyms: riverso, colpo manco
   * Any cut that starts on the fencer's right side
   * A descending right-to-left diagonal cut on the line from ear to knee, mirroring riverso squalembrato. Also called mandritto squalembrato>

### mezano

    noun m. (plural mezani)
   * Abbr. of colpo mezano

### molinetto

    noun m. (plural molinetti)
   * A certain rotational cut

### montando

    adjective m. (plural montandi), gerund of montare ("to climb")
   * Describes an ascending cut

### montante

    noun m. (plural montanti), past participle of montare ("to climb")
   * An ascending vertical cut

## P
### passata-sotto

    noun f.
   * 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")
   * A quickly executed advance-lunge

### posta breve

    noun f. (plural poste brevi)
   * The short guard

### posta breve la serpentina

    noun f. (plural poste brevi la serpentina)
   * The short serpant guard

### posta dente di zenghiaro

    noun f. (plural poste dente di zenghiaro)
   * The boar's tooth guard
       Abbr. dente di zenghiaro

### posta dente di zenghiaro 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)
   * 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"
   * plural of pronto ("ready")

### punta

    noun f. (plural punte)
   * 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)
   * lit. "point"

## R
### ricasso

   * 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)
   * A rising cut with either edge that immediately follows a descending cut
   * lit. "redouble"

### riverso

    noun m. (plural riversi)
   * Any cut that starts opposite the fencer's dominant side. Antonyms: mandritto, e manco
   * A certain descending diagonal cut on the line from ear to knee. Also called riverso squalembrato. Mirror of mandritto squalembrato

## S
### stoccata

    noun f. (plural stoccate)
   * A rising thrust

### sonno serpentino lo soprano

    noun m. (plural sonni serpentini lo soprano)
   * Sleeping high serpent (guard)

### squalembrato

    adjective m. (plural squalembrati)
   * Describes any descending diagonal cut on the line from ear to knee. Applies to i colpi mandritto e riverso. Reverse of il falso

## T
### tondo

    adjective m. (plural tondi)
   * Describes a cut which travels horizontally. Applies to i colpi mandritto e riverso
   * lit. "circular"

### tramazzone

    noun m. (plural colpi tramazzoni )
   * A certain rotational cut

### traversato

    adjective m. (plural traversati)
   * Describes a blow made across the line of engagement
   * past participle of traversare ("to cross")