parry
[par-ee]
- to ward off (a thrust, stroke, weapon, etc.), as in fencing; avert.
- to turn aside; evade or dodge: to parry an embarrassing question.
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- to parry a thrust, blow, etc.
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- an act or instance of parrying, as in fencing.
- a defensive movement in fencing.
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Origin of parry
Synonyms
See more synonyms for parry on Thesaurus.com2. avert; elude; prevent, obviate, preclude.
Parry
[par-ee]
- Milman,1902–35, U.S. classical scholar and philologist.
- William Edward,1790–1855, English arctic explorer.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for parry
Contemporary Examples
Critics like Parry Aftab argue that these sites are essentially conduits for bullying.
The Falklands gets mentioned on page three; there is music by Elgar (of course) and Parry.
Parry acknowledged that the Krim tragedy has provoked anxiety among parents.
Think like a fencer: parry on Medicare; lunge at the stimulus.
“There needs to be long-term investment and a comprehensive plan for creating sustainable economic viability,” says Parry.
Historical Examples
She could not parry the question as she had done before, and it probed depths.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
Now this was a home-thrust, George, which I could not parry off.
Life in LondonEdwin Hodder
It was cut and parry and stab as quick as eye could see or hand act.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
But it would never have occurred to me to parry her queries.
The Bacillus of BeautyHarriet Stark
And such they were, when the first thrust and parry told that the work had begun.
RidgewayScian Dubh
parry
- to ward off (an attack) by blocking or deflecting, as in fencing
- (tr) to evade (questions), esp adroitly
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- an act of parrying, esp (in fencing) using a stroke or circular motion of the blade
- a skilful evasion, as of a question
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Word Origin
C17: from French parer to ward off, from Latin parāre to prepare
Parry
- 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)
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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
Word Origin and History for parry
v.
1630s, from French parez! (which commonly would have been heard in fencing lessons), imperative of parer "ward off," from Italian parare "to ward or defend a blow" (see para- (2)). Related: Parried; parrying. Non-fencing use is from 1718. The noun is 1705, from the verb.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper