parry

¹ American  

[par-ee] / ˈpær i /

verb (used with object)

parried, parrying

1. to ward off (a thrust, stroke, weapon, etc.), as in fencing; avert.

2. to turn aside; evade or dodge.

   to parry an embarrassing question.

   Synonyms:

   preclude, obviate, prevent, elude, avert

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verb (used without object)

parried, parrying

1. to parry a thrust, blow, etc.

noun

plural

parries

1. an act or instance of parrying, as in fencing.

2. a defensive movement in fencing.

Parry ² American  

[par-ee] / ˈpær i /

noun

1. Milman, 1902–35, U.S. classical scholar and philologist.

2. William Edward, 1790–1855, English Arctic explorer.

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parry ¹ British  

/ ˈpærɪ /

verb

1. to ward off (an attack) by blocking or deflecting, as in fencing

2. (tr) to evade (questions), esp adroitly

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noun

1. an act of parrying, esp (in fencing) using a stroke or circular motion of the blade

2. a skilful evasion, as of a question

Parry ² British  

/ ˈpærɪ /

noun

1. Sir ( Charles ) Hubert ( Hastings ). 1848–1918, English composer, noted esp for his choral works

2. Sir William Edward. 1790–1855, English arctic explorer, who searched for the Northwest Passage (1819–25) and attempted to reach the North Pole (1827)

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Other Word Forms

• parriable adjective
• parrier noun
• unparried adjective
• unparrying adjective

Etymology

Origin of parry

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

Example Sentences

The visitors then took the lead five minutes later as Centonze pounced on weak parry by Geronimo Rulli to open the scoring from close range.

From Barron's

Moving to his left, Smith got both hands to the ball, only to parry in the direction of the slips, who could not grab the rebound.

From BBC

Then we decide whether to dodge, parry, or counterattack.

From Literature

The precocious girls soon cotton on to the headmistress’s ruse and parry her appeals to dish on Miss Brodie.

From The Wall Street Journal

The spot-kick was ordered to be retaken for encroachment inside the area and Haaland struck his second effort the opposite direction, only for it to be parried away again by Peretz.

From Barron's