ATTACK: The initial offensive action
BEAT-ATTACK: An attack on the opponent's blade made by tapping it sharply
BIND: A diagonal transfer of the blade through one parry position to the diagonal parry position
COMPOUND: An action that takes more than one fencing tempo
COUNTER-ATTACK: An attack into an attack
COUNTER-RIPOSTE: The parry riposte of a parry riposte
COUNTER-TIME: Any action made against a counter attack (i.e. usually a parry riposte)
COUPE: To deceive by changing lines by going over the opponent's blade (cut over)
CROISE: A vertical transfer of the blade from one parry position to the parry position above or below it (i.e. 6 to 8, 7 to 4, etc.)
DECEIVE: Any avoidance of the blade
DIRECT: An action without changing lines
DISENGAGE: To deceive by changing lines by passing underneath the opponent's blade
EVASION: Physical movement to get out of the way of a touch (i.e. duck, move to the side, twist, etc.)
FEINT: Any false action (i.e. a feint attack)
FEINT-IN-TIME: A compound counter-attack
HIGH LINE: The target area above the line that runs horiontally through the weapon hand
INDIRECT: An action that changes lines
INSIDE LINE: The target area inside a line that runs vertically through the bell guard
LOW LINE: The target area below the line that runs horizontally through the weapon hand
OPPOSITION: A blade action against the opponent's blade, wherein the fencer deviates the opponent's blade by keeping contact with it and pushing it aside
OPPOSITION RIPOSTE: To riposte by sliding down the blade
OUTSIDE LINE: The target area on the outside of the weapon hand
PARRY: To remove the threat of you opponent's blade with your own (There are 9 total parries)
POINT-IN-LINE: The extending of the arm and presenting the blade as to gain right-of-way
REMISE: Any renewal of an offensive or offensive-defensive action
RIPOSTE: The offensive action after a parry
SIMPLE: An action that takes one fencing tempo
STOP-THRUST: A thrusting action made against the attack, used tok score a touch or to hold off you opponent
TEMPO: The amount of time it takes to execute one fencing action

There are three uses of preparation:
1. To assess your opponent
2. To gain the critical distance
3. To mislead your opponent

Vincent Bradford is the author of Taking Foil Groups to the Competitive Level: A System of Progressive Drills for Teaching Beginners and Training Competitors (which is available through the CounterParry Press).

The following was provided by David Glasser:

There are varying distances that are used in this sport. They are:

CLOSED DISTANCE: The opposing fencer is so close that you must withdraw your weapon arm to bring the point of your foil to target surface.
SHORT DISTANCE: You can reach your opponent's target surface by simply extending your arm.
MIDDLE DISTANCE: You can reach your opponent's target surface by lunging.
LONG DISTANCE: You can reach your opponent's target surface by advance-lunging, jump-lunging, or fleching.
CRITICAL DISTANCE: You are so close to your opponent that you can hit him with an attack before he can physically respond.

ANALYSIS: (the referee's account of the various actions leading up to a hit in combat):

A DELAYED RIPOSTE: when a riposte is not made immediately after the parry and the opponent begins a remise first, the remise of the attack will have priority of action.
THE SECOND COUNTER-RIPOSTE: The thrust made immediately after parrying your opponent's counter-riposte, etc.
THE DEROBEMENT: avoiding your opponent's attempt to strike or take your blade (usually during his preparation to attack).
THE TROMPEMEMT: Made at the end of a feint, deceiving your opponent's parry and hitting him. Note that deceiving your opponent's parry involves completely avoiding it. No grazing contact may occur, else the feint is considered to have been parried.
A PERIOD OF FENCING TIME: the time it takes to execute a single fencing action (such as a parry, a remise, a thrust, etc.). This is relative time, not absolute time.
CADENCE: the rhythm and sequence of a series of consecutive periods of fencing time. A skilled fencer will use changes in cadence to cause the opponent to mistime his defence. Cadence is also sometimes called "tempo".
IN-FIGHTING: fencing at closed distance.
TRANSITIONS (MOVEMENTS BETWEEN PARRY POSITIONS):
-- LATERAL (4th to 6th, 7th to 8th, and vice versa).
-- VERTICAL (8th to lifted 6th, 8th to lifted 7th and vice-versa).
-- CIRCULAR (the counter parries: contre de sixte, contre d'octave, etc).
-- SEMI-CIRCULAR (6th to 7th, 8th to 4th, and vice-versa).
TRANSFERS: moving the opponent's blade around with your bell guard and forte.
PRISES DE FER (EITHER AS A PREPARATION OR AS A THRUST): taking the opponent's blade. (EXAMPLES:)
--OPPOSITION: deflecting the opponent's blade with your bell guard while thrusting at him.
--ENVELOPMENT: transferring the opponent's blade around in circular fashion to the same position the envelopment began from.
--BIND: transferring the opponent's blade around in semi-circular fashion to the diagonally opposite position. For example, the 6th bind thrust would begin with opposition in 7th and finish in opposition 6th. The fourth bind would begin in 8th and finish in 4th.
--CROISE: normally made as a riposte which transfers the opponent's blade up or down to the vertically opposite position. Unlike binds, croises are numbered from their starting positions. Also called glide thrusts.
ENGAGEMENT: Fencing with the blades crossed in a contact state. Fencing without engagements is fencing with "absence of blade."
DISENGAGEMENT: changing lines by going around the opponent's bell guard.
COUNTER-DISENGAGEMENT: avoiding an opponent's change of engagement. Also deceiving an opponent's counter-parry.
INVITO: inviting an attack by taking up an en garde in an exaggerated parry position.
PRESS: forcefully opening a closed engagement. Also invites a disengage.
INTERCEPTION THRUST: a strong thrust which interposes the bell guard or forte athwart the path of an opponent's disengagement. This action is usually made as a type of counter-offensive action. Also known as "temps d'interception."
ARRET A BON TEMPS: a counter-offensive action which hits the opponent before he initiates his final action. Thus it is a period of fencing time ahead and gains priority of action. Also known as a "stop-hit" or "coup d'arret."
COUPS DE TEMPS: a counter-offensive thrust made with opposition which deflects an opponent's thrust. Also known confusingly as a "time-hit."
ATTACKING IN SECOND INTENTION: attacking without the intention to hit immediately, but rather anticipating the opponent's riposte and setting up a dynamic counter-riposte action to deal with it.
TENSION PARRY: resisting the pressure of an opponent's opposition thrust by forcing blade and arm into a strong opposition parry which through brute force closes the threatened line. Tension parries are vulnerable to timely disengagements and may also result in pulling a muscle in the fore-arm.

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