fencing Blocking a lunge or deflecting it with a circular motion of the sword.

Polish: sparowanie, odparowanie

A return punch (especially by a boxer).

synonyms: counter, counterpunch.

Dutch: tegenstoot, parade

Impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball).

synonyms: block, deflect.

Roget 479: confute, refute, disprove; parry, negative, controvert, rebut, confound, disconfirm, redargue^†, expose, show the fallacy of, defeat; demolish, break etc. (destroy) 162; overthrow, overturn scatter to the winds, explode, invalidate; silence; put to silence, reduce to silence; clinch an argument, clinch a question; give one a setdown^†, stop the mouth, shut up; have, have on the hip.    not leave a leg to stand on, cut the ground from under one's feet.    be confuted &c.; fail; expose one's weak point, show one's weak point.    counter evidence etc. 468.    ... show more

Roget 717: defend, forfend, fend; shield, screen, shroud; engarrison^†; fend round etc. (circumscribe) 229; fence, entrench, intrench^†; guard etc. (keep safe) 664; guard against; take care of etc. (vigilance) 459; bear harmless; fend off, keep off, ward off, beat off, beat back; hinder etc. 706.    parry, repel, propugn^†, put to flight; give a warm reception to [Iron.]; hold at bay, keep at bay, keep arm's length.    stand on the defensive, act on the defensive; show fight; maintain one's ground, stand one's ground; stand by; hold one's own; bear the brunt, stand the brunt; fall back upon, hold, stand in the gap.    ... show more

Avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues).

synonyms: circumvent, dodge, duck, elude, evade, fudge, hedge, put off, sidestep, skirt.

Roget 623: abstain, refrain, spare, not attempt; not do etc. 681; maintain the even tenor of one's way.    eschew, keep from, let alone, have nothing to do with; keep aloof keep off, stand aloof, stand off, hold aloof, hold off; take no part in, have no hand in.    avoid, shun; steer clear of, keep clear of; fight shy of; keep one's distance, keep at a respectful distance; keep out of the way, get out of the way; evade, elude, turn away from; set one's face against etc. (oppose) 708; deny oneself.    shrink back; hang back, hold back, draw back; recoil etc. 277; retire etc. (recede) 287; flinch, blink, blench, shy, shirk, dodge, parry, make way for, give place to.    beat a retreat; turn tail, turn one's back; take to one's heels; runaway, run for one's life; cut and run; be off like a shot; fly, flee; fly away, flee away, run away from; take flight, take to flight; desert, elope; make off, scamper off, sneak off, shuffle off, sheer off; break away, tear oneself away, slip away, slink away, steel away, make away from, scamper away from, sneak away from, shuffle away from, sheer away from; slip cable, part company, turn one's heel; sneak out of, play truant, give one the go by, give leg bail, take French leave, slope, decamp, flit, bolt, abscond, levant, skedaddle, absquatulat [U.S.], cut one's stick, walk one's chalks, show a light pair of heels, make oneself scarce; escape etc. 671; go away etc. (depart) 293; abandon etc. 624; reject etc. 610.    lead one a dance, lead one a pretty dance; throw off the scent, play at hide and seek.    ... show more

Dutch: drukken, omzeilen