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parry

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To parry is to answer a question with an evasive reply, or to avoid an attack by using a countermove.

(verb)

An example of parry is when a politician doesn't want to answer a question about his position on an issue so he gives an answer that sounds like he is answering but that doesn't really say anything at all.
An example of parry is when someone is trying to land a punch on a boxer and the boxer is able to block the punch and ends up throwing his opponent to the ground.

The definition of a parry is a countermove that blocks your opponent or is an evasive answer.

(noun)

A blocking move that a boxer does to stop a blow is an example of a parry.
When a politican is asked a question about a scandal and gives an answer that isn't really an answer, the answer is an example of a parry.

See parry in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb parried, parrying

to ward off or deflect (a blow, the thrust of a sword, etc.)
to counter or ward off (criticism, a prying question, etc.) by a clever or evasive response

Origin: prob. < Fr parez, imper. of parer < It parare, to ward off < L parare, to prepare

intransitive verb

to make a parry or evasion

noun pl. parries

a warding off or a turning aside of a blow, thrust, etc., as in fencing
an evasion; evasive reply

Parry, Sir William Edward 1790-1855; Eng. naval officer & arctic explorer

See parry in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb par·ried, par·ry·ing, par·ries

verb, transitive

To deflect or ward off (a fencing thrust, for example).
To deflect, evade, or avoid: He skillfully parried the question with a clever reply.

verb, intransitive

To deflect or ward off a thrust or blow.

noun pl. par·ries

The deflecting or warding off of a thrust or blow, as in fencing.
An evasive answer or action.

Origin:

Origin: Probably from French parez

Origin: , imperative of parer, to defend

Origin: , from Italian parare

Origin: , from Latin parāre, to prepare; see perə-¹ in Indo-European roots

American classicist and folklorist who revealed the oral-formulaic character of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey by analyzing the formulaic nature of the poems and studying the performance and structure of the heroic songs of South Slavic bards.

, Sir William Edward 1790-1855.

British navigator who commanded three expeditions in search of the Northwest Passage (1819-1820, 1821-1823, and 1824-1825).

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