Word
parry
Phoneticspar·ry
US/ˈpɛɹi/
UK/pˈæɹi/
Definition
v. to avoid answering a difficult or clever question by changing the subject.
v. to evade or dodge a question, argument, or criticism with a clever or deflective response.
Examples
“The fencer managed to parry the sudden attack.”
“During the press conference, the minister managed to parry every difficult question about the budget cuts.”
“The experienced lawyer was able to parry the prosecutor's aggressive line of questioning with a series of calm, technical objections that frustrated the opposition.”
Examples
simple
“The fencer managed to parry the sudden attack.”
contextual
“During the press conference, the minister managed to parry every difficult question about the budget cuts.”
complex
“The experienced lawyer was able to parry the prosecutor's aggressive line of questioning with a series of calm, technical objections that frustrated the opposition.”
Usage
Often used in political or journalistic contexts to describe verbal evasion.
Real-World Examples
“The Republic of Ireland star Parrott, introduced in the 68th minute, broke the deadlock in the 81st when he reacted quickly after Thibaut Courtois parried a header into his path.” “The pressure told in the 33rd minute when Kinsky could only parry Mathias Jensen’s shot from the edge of the box and Janelt snaffled up the rebound.”