Plural of appel; a tapping motion in fencing where a fencer stamps their front foot to signal an attack.
From French 'appel' meaning 'call' or 'summons,' used in fencing to describe the stamping action that announces an attack.
In fencing, an appel isn't just movement—it's communication: it tells your opponent 'I'm attacking now,' which means experienced fencers use fake appels to trick their opponents into defending the wrong way.
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