dueling
Pistols at dawn
Dueling is the act of fighting a formal combat between two people, traditionally with matched weapons like swords or pistols, often to settle a point of honor.
The practice was once common among aristocrats and military officers but is now illegal virtually everywhere.
The word extends to any intense one-on-one contest: dueling guitarists, dueling op-eds.
Politicians or lawyers with competing agendas may have dueling press conferences.
The spelling duel**l**ing is standard in British English.
Art of fighting with blades
- fencingCombat with blunted blades
- pistolsSmall one-handed firearms
- rapierSlender dueling blade
- sabreCurved single-edged sword
epee · seconds · challenger · antagonist · engagement · bout · clash · parry
Test of ability
- gauntletProtective armored handwear
- gloveFitted hand covering
- secondsTime units, or extras
- field of honorDesignated combat location
dawn · paces · ceremony · witnesses · invitation · acceptance · protocol · formality
State of fulfilled desires
- affrontDeliberate public insult
- insultOffensive remark or action
- reputationCollective opinion of someone
- prideSatisfaction from one's achievements
valor · gallantry · dignity · prestige · vindication · offense · slighted · dishonor
Ongoing contest between opponents
- competitionStruggle for supremacy
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
confrontation · head-to-head · battle · sparring · jousting · verbal · debate · wits
First Treasury secretary
- PushkinEugene Onegin author
- bannedOfficially disallowed
- outlawedForbidden by law
- antebellumBefore a war's start
Regency · Victorian · aristocratic · gentlemen · nobility · illegal · clandestine · European
swordplay
Art of fighting with blades
sabre · epee · seconds · challenger · antagonist · engagement · bout · clash · parry · thrust
challenge
Test of ability
field of honor · dawn · paces · ceremony · witnesses · invitation · acceptance · protocol · formality · affair of honor
satisfaction
State of fulfilled desires
- affrontDeliberate public insult
- insultOffensive remark or action
- reputationCollective opinion of someone
pride · valor · gallantry · dignity · prestige · vindication · offense · slighted · dishonor · impugned
rivalry
Ongoing contest between opponents
- competitionStruggle for supremacy
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
standoff · confrontation · head-to-head · battle · sparring · jousting · verbal · debate · wits · egos
Hamilton
First Treasury secretary
antebellum · Regency · Victorian · aristocratic · gentlemen · nobility · illegal · clandestine · European · American South
- warrior traitsswordsmanship, archery, bravery, valor, honor
- mock combatsparring, war games, paintball, laser tag, airsoft
- combat artssword fighting, swordfighting, boxing, wrestling, grappling
- Duelingpistols at dawn, seconds, field of honor, affair of honor, en garde
- sword fightingfencing, kendo, kenjutsu, parry, riposte
- gamingvideo games, buff, games, PlayStation 4, gameplay
duelingbrawling
Fighting noisily in public
street fighting · rioting · melee · mob violence · free-for-all
duelingcooperating
Working jointly toward goals
collaborating · partnering · allying · reconciling · peacemaking
duelingnegotiating
Discussing to reach agreement
mediating · arbitrating · compromising · reconciling · diplomacy
- dueling pistolsMatched guns for formal combat
- dueling pianosCompetitive two-piano performance
- dueling banjosAlternating stringed instrument exchange
- dueling swordsBlades for honorable combat