Kieran Bew

I did quite a lot of fencing when I was a kid. I was a swimmer, and I played a lot of basketball. I was a fencer for Great Britain, but I only did that because I watched 'Robin Hood,' 'Star Wars,' 'Highlander' and 'The Three Musketeers,' and I wanted to emulate Richard Harris and the great British actors that I grew up watching.

English Actor

Lynn Davies

I believe the friendship of the Games still exists. There is a tremendous camaraderie and atmosphere at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games - where else could you go and sit down and have breakfast with a Russian weightlifter, an East German sprinter, and an Indian fencer and talk about different cultures and problems?

British Athlete

Alisher Usmanov

I am a former sabre fencer and fenced as part of the Uzbek republic team.

Businessman

Use 'fencer' to talk about someone who competes in the fencing sport, especially in formal or sporting contexts.

Sporting Context

The word 'fencer' is gender-neutral; it applies to all genders and is preferred over 'swordsman' or 'swordswoman'.

Gender Neutral

'Fencer' doesn't specify skill level; can refer to beginners or Olympic champions alike.

Skill Level

Use 'fencer' to describe someone who physically installs or repairs fences; it implies manual work.

Manual Labor

The term encompasses professionals; a 'fencer' may have specific carpentry or landscaping skills.

Professional Trade

In a legal context, 'fencer' refers to someone involved in the sale of illegal or stolen goods.

Illegal Trade

The word 'fencer' can carry a negative connotation when used to refer to dealing with stolen items.

Crime Association

This meaning of 'fencer' often suggests connections to the underworld or criminal networks.