swordfight
Crossed steel clash
A swordfight is combat between people wielding swords, whether in historical battle, sport, or staged performance.
The term extends to any dramatic blade-to-blade confrontation: The movie's climactic swordfight lasted ten minutes.
Figuratively, a swordfight is any sharp verbal or intellectual clash: The debate turned into a swordfight over tax policy.
Prearranged one-on-one combat
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
- battleArmed military engagement
- skirmishBrief, limited combat
- meleeDisordered group skirmish
engagement · parry · thrust · riposte · lunge · bout · opponent · challenger
Slender dueling blade
- saberCurved military sword
- cutlassCurved slashing naval blade
- claymoreScottish great sword
- katanaCurved Japanese fighting blade
longsword · gladius · scimitar · falchion · shortsword · backsword · dao · hilt
Defeat a plan
touché · bladework · counterattack · disengage · feint · reprise · plastron · lamé
Dangerous feat for spectacle
- swashbucklerDaring, flamboyant swordsman
- stuntmanPerformer of dangerous scenes
- rehearsalPre-performance practice session
- blockingImpeding forward progress
flourish · Hollywood · cinematic · Zorro · lightsaber · theatrical · acrobatic · dramatic
duel
Prearranged one-on-one combat
melee · engagement · parry · thrust · riposte · lunge · bout · opponent · challenger · duelist
rapier
Slender dueling blade
katana · longsword · gladius · scimitar · falchion · shortsword · backsword · dao · hilt · blade
foil
Defeat a plan
fleche · touché · bladework · counterattack · disengage · feint · reprise · plastron · lamé · mask
stunt
Dangerous feat for spectacle
- swashbucklerDaring, flamboyant swordsman
- stuntmanPerformer of dangerous scenes
- rehearsalPre-performance practice session
blocking · flourish · Hollywood · cinematic · Zorro · lightsaber · theatrical · acrobatic · dramatic
knight
Honored mounted soldier
- honorHigh regard, moral dignity
- valorCourage in danger
- tournamentMulti-round competitive event
joust · squire · pageantry · heraldry · nobility · code · gallantry · courtly · champion · challenge
- knight artchainmail, mounted knight, heraldry, coat of arms, King Arthur
- swashbucklersswashbuckler, swashbucklers, swashbuckling, pirate, pirates
- medieval romancechivalric romance, courtly love, Arthurian legends, Arthurian legend, knightly quests
- Piratespirate, buccaneer, corsair, corsairs, privateers
- TragediesHamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet
swordfightgunfight
Armed combat with firearms
shootout · firefight · bombing · aerial combat · drone strike
swordfightpeace negotiation
Dialogue to end conflict
diplomatic talks · peace talks · negotiation · diplomacy · truce
swordfightembrace
Hold closely in arms
handshake · hug · cooperation · collaboration · alliance