Capo Ferro, Ridolpho	Sixteenth century Italian master, best known as the creator of the modern lunge.  Changed the manner of fencing from the round to a more linear form.
Cabasset	16th century helmet with pointed skull and flat, narrow brim.
Cadence	The rhythm in which a sequence of movements is made.
Caliver	Light musket.
Camera Left/Right	Method of specifying movement or placement of objects in relation to the camera's viewpoint.
Carranza, Jeronimo de	Father of the Spanish science of defence, based on the principles of mathematics.
Carriage	The loop attached to the sword belt, through which one passes the sword.
Carte	See Quarte.
Cartel	A hand delivered notice of challenge describing the cause of offence.
Case of rapiers	Twin rapiers. A slightly decedent style of rapier play involving the use of a rapier in each hand.
Cavatione di tempo	Fabris' term for the time disengagement.
Cavatione	Fabris' term applied to the disengage. Today it is sometimes applied to the semi circular motion of the point around the opposing guard.
Caver	The caver is an attack angled around the opponents blade. The space in between the blades being the "cave".
Ceding parry	A parry formed by giving way to an opponent who is taking the blade. See yield parry.
Centre line	An imaginary vertical line the bisects the body, or in theatre, down the centre of the stage.
Centre left	Block of the stage to the your left of centre when you face the audience.
Centre right	Block of the stage to the your right of centre when you face the audience.
Centre stage	(Centre centre) Block of the stage which is dead centre.
Central guard	A non-guard which does not protect any "line" from attack but instead leaves both inside and outside lines open.
Cercle	Late seventeenth century term for a half circular parry generally ending in the parry of seven. See Circular parry.
Certified teacher	The second level of four, as recognised by the SAFD. The individual has passed SAFD tests on teaching techniques, historical styles, weapons theory and theatrical choreography.
Chalk Marks	(Film) Marks made on the floor to ensure that the actor or camera stops at the right place.
Change beat	Beat attack executed after the successful completion of a changement. (change of engagement)
Change bind	A changement (disengage/ coupe) executed by the victim of a bind. The action consists of a bind, changement and counter bind.
Change down	Change of guard executed from a high to a low line.
Change of engagement	The act of engaging your opponent in a new line. To re-engage the opponents blade in a new line by passing under or over it.
Change of intention	A movement that changes between commencement and completion, from it's original intention. Generally done accidentally.
Change over	Sometimes known as a cut over. A change of engagement which passes your point up and over your opponents blade.
Change under	A change of engagement which passes your point under and around your opponents sword arm.
Change up	A change of guard from a low to a high line.

Changement	The process of changing, joining, freeing, removing and replacing of blades, to a new line of engagement.
Chausses	Leg defences of mail, common from the mid 12th century.
Check	Action that follows a block or a parry that curbs or restrains the attacking arm while freeing the original arm  for counter strike.
Checking the blade	The process of curbing or restraining the opponents blade while freeing another weapon for a counter strike.
Cheek cut	A descending diagonal cut of prime or tierce executed from the wrist or elbow with intention of striking the opponents cheek.
Chicken-wing parry	Slang for a high parry of seconde.
Choice reaction	The reasoned response of one or morestimuli, done as a controlled reflex.
Choreographer	Another name for the fight director. Also the person in charge of movement on any given production.
Cinquedea	Italian sword with short acutely tapered blade, popular in late 15th and early 16th century. Traditionally five fingers wide at the top.
Circle left	Passing action of footwork that carries you clockwise about your opponent, in an imaginary circle.
Circle right	As circle left but passing counter-clockwise. Used with a demi volte, to keep sword arm on the inside and toward ones opponent.
Circles	Moves in a circular fashion e.g. Circles clockwise upstage crossing to stage left.
Circular paces	9th and 10th directions of footwork as determined by Thibaust's mysterious circle. Circular pace left and circular pace right.
Circular parry	The deflection of the opponents blade by the application of forte to foible, by making a circle with the point of the sword, gathering the attacking blade and bringing it back to it's original line. Also known as counter or acquired parry..
Circular half pace	Another name for a demi volte.
Clapper Board	(Film) Also known as the slate. Marker board placed at the beginning of takes which allows sound and images to be synchronized.
Claymore	1/ 16th - 17th century two handed Highland sword. 2/A form of eighteenth century cut and thrust sword, the grip of which enveloped the hand.
Climax	The dramatic apex of a scene.
Cloak and sword	Sixteenth century style of swordplay where the cloak is used in the left hand for defence and distraction leaving the blade free for attack.
Close guard	A ward similar to the central guard.
Close measure	Fencing measure where both combatants are well within lunge distance.
Close quarters	When fencers are inside normal fencing measure, but can stillwield their wwapons correctly.
Close	a/ To cover or shut a line of engagement. b/ to step towards and into opponents body, e.g. to strike with pommel, fist or head butt. c/ to approach an opponent. To close distance.
Closed line	Line of engagement where the defenders blade covers or blocks the line of attack.
Closing lines	Act or placement of the weapon/s where one or more lines of attack open to the adversary are in the process of being blocked, or closed.
Cold steel	Slang for a cut and thrust weapon.
Combatant	One who fights. Anyone involved in a fight. See actor/ combatant.
Combination	Delivering two or more offensive actions in quick succession.
Coming to the close	Angelo's term for getting within distance and seizing the opponents blade.
Communication	The cueing, responding, eye contact and partnering of an effective stage fight.
Composed attack	See compound attack.
Composed riposte	See compound riposte.
Composite	See compound.
Compound attack	An attack which comprises one or more feints. also known as a composed attack.
Compound footwork	Execution of two or more pieces of footwork  as one complete action.
Compound pris d'Fer	Two or more consecutive takings of the blade, alike or different, with no loss of contact.

Compound Riposte	A riposte comprising of one or more feints. Also known as a composed riposte.
Coquille	The bell shaped guard of a foil or epee.
Continuity	(Film) Consistency of detail between shots intended to match.
Contra Cavatione	Fabris' term for a counter changement.
Contra guardia	Giganti's term for a covered engagement of the blades.
Corps-a-corps	a/ (Literally, body to body) French term for a body contact that jostles one or both fencers or prevents combat. In theatrical fencing associated also with a locking of the blades. b/ In modern fencing the fencer responsible is warned for the first offence and penalised for each repetition. c/ Simply when fencers are touching so that they cannot wield their weapons correctly.
Costume	a/ Clothing worn by an actor, when playing a character on stage. b/ The department responsible for costuming the actors. (Known as Wardrobe)
Coule	The action of extending the arm and slipping lightly down the opponents blade, maintaining contact throughout. It may incorporate a pressure as it slides down the blade or may take the blade with it. Used as a preparation of attack either as an attack on the blade or a taking of the blade. Also known as a GRAZE.
Counter attack	An offensive action into an attack. Stop hit or stop hit in opposition. Time hit, stop thrust, stop cut.
Counter changement	Changement executed in response to opponents changement, carrying the blade back to it's point of origin.
Counter disengagement	Indirect attack landing back in the original line by decieving a change of engagement or circular  parry.
Counter-offensive actions	The stop hit and the time hit.
Counter parry	Another name for the circular parry.
Counter riposte	Offensive action following the successful parry of the riposte or counter riposte. Counter ripostes are numbered, the attacker making the odd numbered and the defender the even. They may be simple, compound, immediate or delayed.
Counter time	Every action made by the attacker against a stop hit by the opponent. The opponent is usually lured to counter attack upon which the initiator (Who made a false preparation) attacks with removal or blocking of the counter attacking blade. Simply a movement by second intention.
Counter pass	The counter movements of footwork  that maintain the distance between  the combatants by either passing forward or back in response to the footwork initiated by ones opponent.
Coup	The actual blow or hit made to ones opponent. The touch in a fencing bout..
Coup de grace	The dagger stroke given to mercifully end the suffering of a wounded duelist.
Coup de jarnac	A crippling blow to the back of the opponents exposed knee or hamstring.
Coup de main	A kill with a single clean cut or thrust .
Coup Sec	A meeting of blades which is both crisp and firm.
Coupe	(Cut over) A changement to the opposite side made from an engaged guard position up and over the tip of the opponent's weapon.
Court sword	On ornamental sword similar in design to the small sword but with no real use as a weapon.
Covered engagement	This is a correctly covered guard position which closes that line to any direct thrust.
Cowards parry	(also ninth parry) Term given to the avoidance of an attack by displacing the body.
Crampet	Metal mount on the point of the scabbard, equivalent to the English "chape"
Cranequin	15th century geared device for spanning and winding back the string of a crossbow.
Craning	A boom supporting the camera which can be raised and lowered during the shot.
Croise	The taking of the foible of an opponents blade from a high to a low line, on the same side as the engagement. A form of preparation.
Cross	a/ (also known as scissors parry or X parry) Parry made with both rapier and dagger, or rapier and scabbard, two rapiers etc.. b/ (As Pass) The action of passing one foot passed another. c/ The joining of two blades. e.g. To cross swords, to fight.
Cross hilt	Simple guard where the quillions cross at right angles to the blade. Often used with holy significance when praying etc. Also known as CROSS GUARD.
Cross five	(High cross) Cross parry against a vertical cut to head.
Cross four	(Left cross) Cross parry defending the left shoulder and chest.
Cross lighting	(Side lighting) Theatre lights that angle across the stage. These can interfere with a fight by silhouetting the opponents, making distance difficult to judge.
Cross one	(High Cross one) Cross parry defending a cut to the left cheek.
Cross three	(Right Cross) Cross parry defending the right side of the body and face from attack.
Cross two	(Low cross) Cross parry covering the crotch, chest and belly with dagger hand on the inside.
Crossing the line	Moving the camera across the scene axis. This can cause some confusion to the viewing audience, due to screen placement appearing mixed up. In fights crossing the line might be used to create tension.
Crossover step	A fast double pass forward or back while still facing ones opponent, ending with the feet in the same placing as before.
Crowd	To close inside distance with ones opponent in order that they cannot function with full dexterity or strength.
CS	(Film) Close Shot.
CU	(Film) Close Up.
Cue	A pre-arranged signal for someone to perform a specific action.
Cuirassier	Heavily armoured cavalry of the 17th century, armed with pistols and sword.
Cup hilt	Bell or cup shaped guard which protects the hand.
Cuscinetto	(Little cushion) Small circular leather cushion inside a guard to protect the fingers from rubbing against the guard.
Cut and Thrust	Said of a weapon designed to cause damage with both the point and the edge.
Cutaway	(Film) A shot, often from the characters physical point of view, which allows us to cut away momentarily from the main action.
Cut down	Croise executed from a high to a low line.
Cut up	Croise executed from a low to a high line.
Cut	A stroke or blow made with the edge of the blade as opposed to the tip. Some blades have two cutting edges, some one edge, some one and one third.
Cutlass	An often short weapon curved and designed more for cutting than point work. Popular in shipboard combat.
Cut over	See coupe.
Cutting the lines	Circular parries made other wise than in the line of engagement.
Cutting stroke	A blow or attack made with the edge of the blade.
Cuttoe	18th century English term for a hanger, derived from the Freench Couteau-de-chasse. (Hunting knife)