German longsword terminology

Leaving a bind by lifting the blade off the opponent's and cutting around to the other side.

Pressing the edge against the opponent's arms or hands and slicing, typically to stop a cut or push them out of a bind.

Displacing an attack with a thrust, so that the parry and the counter-thrust are the same motion.

The final phase of a bout in Meyer's division, in which you leave distance safely after the exchange.

A low guard with the point toward the ground in front of you, inviting an attack from above.

The moment and state of blade contact between two fencers.

Setting the point onto one of the four openings, typically from Ochs or Pflug, as the opponent commits to an attack.

A step with the front foot out to the side as you act, taking your body off the line of the opponent's attack while your own blade reaches them.

A target area left uncovered; the sources divide the body into four openings, upper and lower on each side.

A step in which the rear foot swings around behind to the side, turning the whole body off the line of attack and leaving it angled toward the opponent's open side.

From a hard bind, turning the blade behind the opponent's to strike their head on the same side.

Dropping the point under the opponent's blade to thrust on the other side, avoiding their attempt to bind.

A cut begun toward one opening and completed at another, so that the opponent's parry goes to the wrong place.

Sensing through the blade whether the opponent is hard or soft in the bind, and what they are about to do.

Meyer's name for the middle phase of a bout, the work done once the blades meet.

Positions in which the blade "hangs" from the hilt toward the opponent, used to cover and thrust; Ochs and Pflug are the upper and lower hangings.

Acting in the same moment as the opponent, especially the instant of blade contact, based on what you feel.

The close phase of fencing in which the blades are bound and the fight is decided by winding, feeling and timing.

A high displacement that takes a descending cut on the crossguard, hands above the head.

A cut delivered with crossed hands, travelling diagonally downward and across, typically at the opponent's hands or onto their blade.

The edge that faces back toward you in a normal grip; the thumb-side edge.

The edge that faces away from you when the sword is held normally; the edge aligned with the knuckles.

A position with the arms extended and the point held straight at the opponent.

One of five special cuts of the Liechtenauer tradition that attack and defend in a single motion.

A horizontal cut delivered at roughly shoulder or waist height.

From a bind, winding the hilt high and passing the point over the opponent's blade to thrust into a lower opening.

Being forced to respond to the opponent's action; the state of having lost the initiative.

Attacking into the opening the opponent creates as they move, especially as they withdraw or draw back to strike.

The strike that immediately follows a first strike, delivered before the opponent can recover.

A short step in which the rear foot closes up behind the front foot before the front foot moves on, so the lead foot stays the same.

A low guard with the sword held at the side and the point back, inviting an attack and ready to cut upward.

Any cut delivered from above, travelling downward toward the opponent's upper openings.

A high guard with the hands beside the head and the point aimed at the opponent's face.

The point of the sword; also used for a thrust with the point.

A step in which the rear foot passes the front foot, changing which foot leads.

A low guard with the hands near the hip and the point rising toward the opponent's face or chest.

A vertical descending cut aimed at the top of the head with the arms extended, so that it reaches over a low guard.

A descending cut with the short edge, delivered with the hands high and the blade turned, used to break Pflug and to counter strong cuts.

A low guard with crossed hands and the point angled down and forward, forming a barrier across the lower line.

The part of the blade nearest the point, which has little leverage in a bind but reaches and cuts.

A bind in Langort or a hanging from which you wait, feel the opponent's intention and respond.

The part of the blade nearest the hilt, which has the most leverage in a bind.

Answering a low attack by striking over it to the upper openings, exploiting the longer reach from above.

A cut delivered from below, rising toward the opponent's hands, arms or lower openings.

Any action that sets an attack off its line; in the sources, ideally one that threatens at the same time.

A high guard with the sword held above the head or at the right shoulder, from which descending cuts are delivered.

The initiative; acting first so that the opponent must respond to you.

The opening attack that seizes the initiative as soon as distance allows.

Turning the sword in the bind, keeping blade contact, to bring the point or edge to a new opening.

A powerful diagonal descending cut from the shoulder, used to strike into an opponent's Oberhau so that your point ends up threatening them.

The thrust delivered along the opponent's blade from the bind that follows a Zornhau.

A Meyer guard with the sword held back over the right shoulder, blade hanging behind, ready to deliver a powerful cut.

Pulling the blade out of a bind to strike at another opening before the opponent can follow.

The phase of an exchange in which the fencers close distance and the first attack is made.

A horizontal cut at head height with the hands held high and the blade turned flat, so it both strikes and covers against a descending cut.