[OE. sweordpleʓa, f. SWORD sb. + PLAY sb.]
1. † a. Fight, battle. OE. b. The action of plying or wielding a sword briskly, as in fencing; the art or practice of fencing.
a. 1000. Waldere, 13 (Gr.). Ðy ic ðe ʓesawe æt ðam sweordpleʓan … wiʓ forbuʓan.
1627. Hakewill, Apol., IV. iv. § 9. 319. Truly I thinke there is at no time a greater concourse of the people then at the sword-playes.
1647. Stapylton, Juvenal, 48. When there was any sword-play, or fighting on the stage.
1889. Conan Doyle, Micah Clarke, 205. I studied sword-play under Signor Cantarini.
1904. Windsor Mag., Jan., 298/2. His sword-play was like flashes of lightning.
1910. Egerton Castle, in Encycl. Brit., X. 250/2. The new [17th-century] French sword-play was … very neat,… and … even more deadly than the old fence.
c. fig. Spirited or skilful controversy or debate.
1847. Bunsen, Church of Future, Pref. p. xxvii. I have not the slightest intention … of involving myself in any literary sword-play.
1902. L. Stephen, Stud. Biogr., III. vi. 189. To enjoy the spectacle of intellectual swordplay.
2. A kind of sword-dance. rare.
1882. Elton, Origins Eng. Hist., v. 123. If no duel occurred during the meal, the guests were entertained with a swordplay.
