Touché

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For other meanings, see Touché (disambiguation).

In fencing, touché (French: touched, Pronounced Too-shay) is used as an acknowledgement of a hit, called out by the fencer who is hit. A referee can call out touché to refer to a touch being called - for example, the French call for "no point" is "pas de touché" (French: no touch).

The phrase touché is often used in popular culture and general conversation—for example, in an argument or debate. If one person presents an argument and another delivers a clever or apt response, the first person may respond with "touché" as a way of acknowledging a good response. Similarly, there is also a fencing move called a "riposte", which refers to "an offensive action with the intent of hitting one's opponent, made by the fencer who has just parried an attack" and in common lexicon is understood as a quick and witty reply to an argument or an insult.

The expression probably comes from the first blood duels, relatively common in the eighteenth century: during the duel touching the opponent with the tip of the sword was sufficient to win; when this would happen the loser would acknowledge the defeat yelling "touched" hence ending the fight.

[edit] Etymology

Touché, though now associated with France, is actually not of French origin but rather an import from the original Norse language of Norman settlers.^[1] However, historical sources are not sufficiently clear as to tell whether its original meaning was in dueling or merely during a battle.