What does swordplay mean?
Word: Swordplay
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Swordplay means fighting with swords, or the skill of using a sword; also quick, clever arguing, as in verbal swordplay.
Synonyms: fencing, swordsmanship
How do you spell swordplay?
Syllables: sword - play
Tricky part: Oxford writes it as one word, swordplay, with no hyphen; sword-play is an older form still seen in some books and is not wrong. The real trap is the silent w after the s: students who spell by sound write sordplay.
Watch out for: sordplay, swordplai, sowrdplay
Memory tip: Put s in front of word and you get sword, silent w and all; then add play straight on, with no gap.
Swordplay in a sentence
Example 1: The swordplay in the old film was so fast that it looked real.
Example 2: Gatka, a Sikh martial art, includes swordplay with sticks and blades.
Example 3: The two lawyers' swordplay in court kept the audience alert.
Fun Fact
The w in sword was once pronounced; Old English spelt the word sweord, and the w sound faded from speech centuries ago.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The stunt team practised their sordplay for weeks before filming the battle scene at the old fort in Gwalior.
a) filming
b) battle
c) practised
d) sordplay
Show answer
d) sordplay. Sword keeps a silent w after its s.
Word Makeup
Choose the correctly spelt compound word:
a) crossward
b) swordplay
c) pasword
d) broadswored
Show answer
b) swordplay. Password needs a double s, broadsword has no e before its d, and crossword ends in word.
Spell-o-Spell
Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. armmour 2. gladiater 3. warriar 4. swordplay
a) fighting or skill with swords
b) a man who fought in an arena in ancient Rome
c) metal covering worn to protect the body in battle
d) a brave fighter, especially in the past
Show answer
a) fighting or skill with swords. Warrior ends in ior, gladiator ends in or, and armour has one m.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Verbal swordplay is ____.
a) a quick, clever exchange of words
b) a sword-making class
c) a type of dance
d) a fight with real swords
Show answer
a) a quick, clever exchange of words
2. Which letter in swordplay is silent?
a) w
b) p
c) s
d) d
Show answer
a) w
