parar as a transitive verb

Question

For the definition of parar on SpanishDict, the following example is listed under transitive verb:

3. (to avoid) a. to block

Es tan importante parar como golpear. (Blocking is as important as punching.)

I'm having a hard time understanding why this is an example of usage as a transitive verb. I can't identify a direct object as I was under the impression that a verb could not be a direct object.

And, why would the sentence not be "Parar es tan importante como golpear."?

In either case es/is seems to be the verb to me. Whatever the verb is, I'm still curious whether the sentence is an example of a transitive or intransitive verb.

Answer 1

In the sentence

Parar es tan importante como golpear

"parar" is an infinitive form. Infinitives are non-conjugated forms, we could say (to understand) that they are not really verbs, but nouns.

If you want to understand "parar" as a transitive verb, you have to use it conjugated as the main verb of a sentence. For example

El jugador paró la pelota con la mano.

Here, the blocked (the direct object) is "la pelota" (the ball).