PARRY (parried)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: parried   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does parry mean? 

• PARRY (noun)
  The noun PARRY has 2 senses:

1. (fencing) blocking a lunge or deflecting it with a circular motion of the sword

2. a return punch (especially by a boxer)

  Familiarity information: PARRY used as a noun is rare.

• PARRY (verb)
  The verb PARRY has 2 senses:

1. impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)

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

  Familiarity information: PARRY used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PARRY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(fencing) blocking a lunge or deflecting it with a circular motion of the sword

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("parry" is a kind of...):

block; blocking (the act of obstructing or deflecting someone's movements)

Domain category:

fencing (the art or sport of fighting with swords (especially the use of foils or epees or sabres to score points under a set of rules))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A return punch (especially by a boxer)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

counter; counterpunch; parry

Hypernyms ("parry" is a kind of...):

biff; clout; lick; poke; punch; slug ((boxing) a blow with the fist)

Derivation:

parry (impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball))

• PARRY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they parry    ... he / she / it parries   
Past simple: parried   
Past participle: parried   
-ing form: parrying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball)

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

block; deflect; parry

Context example:

block an attack

Hypernyms (to "parry" is one way to...):

fence (fight with fencing swords)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to parry his opponent

Derivation:

parry (a return punch (especially by a boxer))

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

circumvent; dodge; duck; elude; evade; fudge; hedge; parry; put off; sidestep; skirt

Context example:

he evaded the questions skillfully

Hypernyms (to "parry" is one way to...):

avoid (stay clear from; keep away from; keep out of the way of someone or something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "parry"):

beg (dodge, avoid answering, or take for granted)

quibble (evade the truth of a point or question by raising irrelevant objections)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

It was cut and parry and stab as quick as eye could see or hand act.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I tell you, my friend, that if a detailed account of that silent contest could be written, it would take its place as the most brilliant bit of thrust-and-parry work in the history of detection.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

On the other side, I announced to my servants that a Mr. Hyde (whom I described) was to have full liberty and power about my house in the square; and to parry mishaps, I even called and made myself a familiar object, in my second character.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He had parried with his great bowie knife, and at first I thought that he too had come through in safety; but as he sprang beside Jonathan, who had by now jumped from the cart, I could see that with his left hand he was clutching at his side, and that the blood was spurting through his fingers.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A three-parts-parried blow drew blood from Alleyne's left shoulder, but at the same moment he wounded Tranter slightly upon the thigh.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Up and down went the long, shining blades, round and round they circled in curves of glimmering light, crossing, meeting, disengaging, with flash of sparks at every parry.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Cut, parry, and thrust followed so swiftly upon each other that the eye could not follow them, until at last coming thigh to thigh, they cast their arms around each other and rolled off their saddles to the ground.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Again he whizzed in a blow which made the spectators hold their breath, and again Alleyne very quickly and swiftly slipped from under it, and sent back two lightning thrusts which the other could scarce parry.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)