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parry

[ par-ee ]
/ ˈpær i /
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See synonyms for parry on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object), par·ried, par·ry·ing.
to ward off (a thrust, stroke, weapon, etc.), as in fencing; avert.
to turn aside; evade or dodge: to parry an embarrassing question.
verb (used without object), par·ried, par·ry·ing.
to parry a thrust, blow, etc.
noun, plural par·ries.
an act or instance of parrying, as in fencing.
a defensive movement in fencing.
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Origin of parry

1665–75; <French parez, imperative of parer to ward off, set off <Latin parāre to set. See parade

OTHER WORDS FROM parry

par·ri·a·ble, adjectivepar·ri·er, nounun·par·ried, adjectiveun·par·ry·ing, adjective

Words nearby parry

parrot's-bill, Parrot's disease, parrot's-feather, parrot toadstool, parrot tulip, parry, Parry Channel, Parry's disease, pars, pars amorpha, parse

Other definitions for parry (2 of 2)

Parry
[ par-ee ]
/ ˈpær i /
noun
Milman, 1902–35, U.S. classical scholar and philologist.
William Edward, 1790–1855, English Arctic explorer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to parry

anticipate, avoid, block, bypass, deflect, dodge, duck, elude, evade, fence, forestall, preclude, prevent, rebuff, rebuke, repel, repulse, resist, shirk, shun

How to use parry in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for parry (1 of 2)

parry
/ (ˈpærɪ) /
verb -ries, -rying or -ried
to ward off (an attack) by blocking or deflecting, as in fencing
(tr) to evade (questions), esp adroitly
noun plural -ries
an act of parrying, esp (in fencing) using a stroke or circular motion of the blade
a skilful evasion, as of a question

Word Origin for parry

C17: from French parer to ward off, from Latin parāre to prepare

British Dictionary definitions for parry (2 of 2)

Parry
/ (ˈpærɪ) /
noun
Sir (Charles) Hubert (Hastings). 1848–1918, English composer, noted esp for his choral works
Sir William Edward. 1790–1855, English arctic explorer, who searched for the Northwest Passage (1819–25) and attempted to reach the North Pole (1827)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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