Forte (fencing)

In fencing, forte (from the Romance root meaning "strong") is "the strong part" of the blade—the one-third closest to the hilt. The "strength" refers to the control established over the opponent's weapon upon contact of one's forte with the opponent's foible (a situation of favourable leverage). Fencer Ridolfo Capo Ferro defined the forte as the blade from the hilt to the middle. From the middle to the top is known as the debole. rdf:langString