APPEL

TileHead’s Word of the Day for 18 July 2012

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Word of the Day:

APPEL  (n. pl. -S)

Definition(s):

1. (n.) in fencing, a stamp of the foot, used as a feint or as a warning of attack
2. (n.) in fencing, a sharp blow made to produce an opening

Useful info for word game players:

• Front hooks: R-
• Back hooks: -S
• Anagrams: APPLE, PEPLA
• Longer extensions: appelLEE/S, appelLOR/S, appelLANT/S, appelLATE, appelLATION/S, appelLATIVE/S, appelLATIVELY
• Wraparounds: RappelS, RappelED, RappelLED, RappelING, RappelLING, CappelLETTI
• Other Spellings: (none)
• Related Forms: (none)

Current theme:

Summer Olympics

Epilogue:

The sport of FENCING is rife with obscure words.  Most specialized English language fencing terms are derived from French, owing to the strong influence of French fencing masters in the 16th through the 19th centuries.  APPEL, for example, comes from the French appeler, “to call” or (in this sense) “to challenge.”  Fencing is one of the few sports that has been an official event at the games of every modern Summer Olympics, which began in 1896.

Some other unusual fencing words include:

• EPEE: a fencing blade with a bowl-shaped guard and a long, narrow blade with a blunt point; the other primary fencing swords are the FOIL and the SABER 
• PASSADO: a thrust in fencing with one foot advanced 
• PLASTRON: a pad worn by a fencer to protect the chest 
• PUNTO: a point or hit in fencing 
• RIPOSTE: a fencer’s quick return thrust following a parry 
• TOUCHE: used to acknowledge a hit in fencing 
• VOLTE: a sudden movement or leap to avoid a thrust 
• And all of the eight basic fencing positions: PRIME, SECONDE, TIERCE, QUARTE, QUINTE, SIXTE, SEPTIME, and OCTAVE

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