duelling
Honor-bound armed contest
Duelling is the British spelling of dueling—fighting a formal combat between two people, typically with weapons, to settle a point of honor.
The practice was once common among aristocrats and military officers: He was killed in a duelling accident.
The word extends to any intense one-on-one contest: duelling pianos, duelling headlines.
Formal combat participants
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- fightPhysical or verbal conflict
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- pistolsSmall one-handed firearms
swords · confrontation · challenge · opponent · adversary · showdown · standoff · encounter
Combat with blunted blades
- épéeFencing sword, points only
- foilDefeat a plan
- sabreCurved single-edged sword
- rapierSlender dueling blade
riposte · lunge · parry · thrust · bout · feint · bladework · piste
Symbolic communication system
- duelloPrearranged combat's formal code
- secondsTime units, or extras
- affairRomantic entanglement outside commitment
- cartelsCollusive business alliances
field · prearranged · etiquette · protocol · formality · baroque · Renaissance · Regency
State of fulfilled desires
- affrontDeliberate public insult
- insultOffensive remark or action
- reputationCollective opinion of someone
- dignityInnate personal worth
chivalry · gallantry · valor · pride · respect · integrity · offense · slighted
Bitter ongoing rivalry
- vendettaProlonged retaliatory conflict
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
antagonism · nemesis · longstanding · bitter · sworn · enemies · competitors · adversaries
duelists
Formal combat participants
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- fightPhysical or verbal conflict
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
pistols · swords · confrontation · challenge · opponent · adversary · showdown · standoff · encounter · battle
fencing
Combat with blunted blades
rapier · riposte · lunge · parry · thrust · bout · feint · bladework · piste · touché
code
Symbolic communication system
- duelloPrearranged combat's formal code
- secondsTime units, or extras
- affairRomantic entanglement outside commitment
cartels · field · prearranged · etiquette · protocol · formality · baroque · Renaissance · Regency · Victorian
satisfaction
State of fulfilled desires
- affrontDeliberate public insult
- insultOffensive remark or action
- reputationCollective opinion of someone
dignity · chivalry · gallantry · valor · pride · respect · integrity · offense · slighted · vindication
feud
Bitter ongoing rivalry
- vendettaProlonged retaliatory conflict
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
enmity · antagonism · nemesis · longstanding · bitter · sworn · enemies · competitors · adversaries · contention
duellingbrawling
Fighting noisily in public
street fighting · brawl · melee · riot · free-for-all
duellingreconciling
Resolving a dispute
peacemaking · cooperating · collaborating · harmonizing · making peace
- duelling pistolsMatched firearms for ritualized combat