French for "
beat", and often referred to simply as beat in
English as well.
Battement in fencing terms refers to attacking your opponent's weapon to remove it from the line it is currently positioned in. This should be done by contacting the upper third of your opponent's blade with the upper third of your own - almost, but not quite, tip to tip. In addition to altering your opponent's line of attack or defense, it also earns you right of way if you are fencing sabre or foil.