corps-a-corps
English
Etymology
Borrowed from French corps-à-corps meaning "body to body".
Noun
corps-a-corps
- (fencing) The action of two fencers coming into physical contact with one another with any portion of their bodies or hilts.
While physical contact is illegal in foil and sabre bouts, in epee fencing contact between fencers can be made as long as it doesn't include force (intentional or not).