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Diagram of a fencer's waist quartered to show the points of the body against which thrusts are aimed.

Fencing

Diagram of a fencer's waist quartered to show the points of the body against which thrusts are aimed.

Prime parry. The thrust <em>in prime</em> for the left side of the body is parried by the act of striking up the opponent's foil by lowering the point of the foil, the back of the hand toward the face, as shown in the right-hand figure.

Fencing

Prime parry. The thrust in prime for the left side of the body is parried by the act of striking…

Quarte parry. The thrust <em>in quarte</em> for the left side of the body, on the high lines, is parried by striking down to the left the opponent's foil by assuming the attitude shown in the left-hand figure.

Fencing

Quarte parry. The thrust in quarte for the left side of the body, on the high lines, is parried…

Tierce parry. The thrust <em>in tierce</em> for the right side of the body, on the high lines, is parried by raising the foil and striking the opponent's weapon to the right, as shown in the left-hand figure.

Fencing

Tierce parry. The thrust in tierce for the right side of the body, on the high lines, is parried…