Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Our thanks to the Higgins Armory Sword Guild for their concise dictionary of terms used in the German longsword tradition

A

Abschneiden: Slicing off
Absetzen: Catching, used to set aside an incoming attack
Alber: The court jester's name is Albert, and the fool's guard is named after him.

B

Term: Definition

C

Term: Definition

D

Duplieren: Doubling, a parried long-edge attack followed with a secondary attack behind the opponent's blade

E

Einhorn: Unicorn, another secondary guard similar to ochs but with the point held higher
Eisenport: Iron gate, using multiple Krumphau from Schrankhut to set up a defensive wall (or gate) to deflect incoming attacks OR a guard like pflug but with the hilt held in front of the knee and the crossbar vertical.

F

Fühlen: Feeling—When in the bind, you must feel what your opponent is doing in order to determine your next move

G

Term: Definition

H

Halb Schwerdt: Half Sword—release the left hand from the pommell and grasp the blade between the thumb and fingers.
Hangen or Hengen: Hanging—there are four hangings, two upper and two lower
-hauw or -hau: Hew or cut—a suffix indicating a type of cut
Hendtrucken: Pressing of the hands—slice upward against the wrist in ochs and then press down against the wrist in pflug
-hut: a suffix indicating a type of guard

I

Indes: Instant—as you come to the bind you must judge in an instant whether your opponent is hard or soft and react accordingly

J

Term: Definition

K

Krieg: War—the fight in the range where each opponent may grasp the other. "Don't rush to war."
Kron: Crown—a secondary guard with the sword held with the hilt in front of the face and the point upward.
Krump: Crooked—the act of delivering the krumphauw
Krumphauw: Crooked cut—a master cut from vom Tag to schrankhut

L

Langort or Langenort: Longpoint—a secondary guard with the sword extended out straight in front of you

M

Mittelhauw: Middle Cut—a horizontal cut with the long edge, easily parried.
Mutieren: Transmuting—turning from the bind into a hanging thrust over the opponent's blade.

N

Nach: After—a state in timing when you are reacting to your opponents action
Nachreisen: Following after—there are various techiques to follow after your opponent
Nebenhut: Near guard—a secondary guard with the sword at on either side, point down, edge forward, charged to make an unterhau

O

Oberhau: Any cut from above
Ochs: The guard of the OX, a primary guard

P

Pflug: The Guard of the Plow, a primary guard

Q

Term: Definition

R

Term: Definition

S

Schielhauw: The squinting cut—a master stroke
Scheitelhauw: The Parting (or scalp) cut—a master stroke
Schnappen: Snapping—a techique for freeing your blade
Schneiden: Slicing—one of the three wounders
Schrankhut: Barrier guard—a secondary guard with the sword pointing perpendicular to the line of attack and the long edge (when on the left) or short edge (when on the right) down, chambered to deliver a krumphau
Sprechfenster: The speaking window—when in the bind, you should feel the other blade and it will speak to you.
Stichen: Sticking—thrusting

T

Term: Definition

U

Underhauw: Any cut from below

V

vom Tag: "From the Sun", "From the Roof", or "on Top"—a primary guard
Vor: Before—you are in the Vor when you are acting and making your opponent react

W

Winden: Winding—one of the most important tactics in the Lichtenauer system

X

Term: Definition

Y

Term: Definition

Z

Zornhauw: The Strike of Wrath—a master cut
Zuchen: Pulling—withdrawing the blade by pulling back on the hilt
Zufechten: At Range—the distance from which attacks are initiated (in this measure, you can strike your opponent with a step)
Zwerch: Thwart—the act of throwing a Zwerchhauw
Zwerchhauw: Thwart Cut—a master strike