Parry

parry
    n 1: (fencing) blocking a lunge or deflecting it with a circular
         motion of the sword
    2: a return punch (especially by a boxer) [syn: {counterpunch},
       {parry}, {counter}]
    v 1: impede the movement of (an opponent or a ball); "block an
         attack" [syn: {parry}, {block}, {deflect}]
    2: avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
       (duties, questions, or issues); "He dodged the issue"; "she
       skirted the problem"; "They tend to evade their
       responsibilities"; "he evaded the questions skillfully" [syn:
       {hedge}, {fudge}, {evade}, {put off}, {circumvent}, {parry},
       {elude}, {skirt}, {dodge}, {duck}, {sidestep}]
    

Parry \Par"ry\ (p[a^]r"r[y^]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Parried}
   (p[a^]r"r[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Parrying}.] [F. par['e], p.
   p. of parer. See {Pare}, v. t.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To ward off; to stop, or to turn aside; as, to parry a
      thrust, a blow, or anything that means or threatens harm.
      --Locke.
      [1913 Webster]

            Vice parries wide
            The undreaded volley with a sword of straw.
                                                  --Cowper.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To avoid; to shift or put off; to evade.
      [1913 Webster]

            The French government has parried the payment of our
            claims.                               --E. Everett.
      [1913 Webster]
    

parry \par"ry\, v. i.
   To ward off, evade, or turn aside something, as a blow,
   argument, etc. --Locke.
   [1913 Webster]
    

parry \par"ry\, n.; pl. {Parries}.
   A warding off of a thrust or blow, as in sword and bayonet
   exercises or in boxing; hence, figuratively, a defensive
   movement in debate or other intellectual encounter.
   [1913 Webster]
    

102 Moby Thesaurus words for "parry":
      about the bush, answer, answer conclusively, argue down,
      around the bush, back and fill, beat about, beat around, beat off,
      beg the question, bicker, block, boggle, cavil, check, choplogic,
      confound, confute, contradict, controvert, counter, crush, defeat,
      demolish, deny, dismiss, dispose of, dodge, drive back, duck,
      equivocate, evade, evade the issue, fence, fend, fend off, finish,
      floor, hedge, hem and haw, hinder, hold at bay, hold off,
      hum and haw, keep at bay, keep off, mince the truth, mince words,
      mystify, nitpick, nonplus, obscure, obstruct, overthrow, overturn,
      overwhelm, palter, pick nits, prevaricate, pull away, pull back,
      push back, pussyfoot, put back, put off, put to silence, quibble,
      rebuff, rebut, recoil, reduce to silence, refute, repel, repulse,
      settle, sheer off, shift, shift off, shrink, shuffle, shut up, shy,
      shy away, shy off, sidestep, silence, smash all opposition,
      split hairs, squash, squelch, stave off, step aside, stop, subvert,
      swerve, tergiversate, turn aside, undermine, upset, waffle,
      ward off, weasel