parry

Short definition from Wiktionary

Verb

1. 1
   To avoid, deflect, or ward off (an attack, a blow, an argument, etc.).

Noun

1. 1
   A defensive or deflective action; an act of parrying.
2. 2
   A simple defensive action designed to deflect an attack, performed with the forte of the blade.
3. 3
   A defensive move intended to change the direction of an incoming strike to make it miss its intended target, rather than block and absorb it; and typically performed with an open hand in a downward or sideways slapping motion.

Proper noun

1. 1
   A surname from Welsh.
2. 2
   A unisex given name.
3. 3
   A hamlet in the Rural Municipality of Caledonia, No. 99, Saskatchewan, Canada.