skirmish Meaning, Definition & Usage

Skir"mish intransitive verb

Etymology

OE. skirmishen, scarmishen, OF. escremir, eskermir, to fence, fight, F. escrimer, of German origin; cf. OHG. scirmen to protect, defend, G. schirmen, OHG. scirm, scerm, protection, shield, G. schirm; perhaps akin to Gr. a sunshade. Cf. Scaramouch, Scrimmage.

Wordforms

imperfect & past participle Skirmished ; present participle & verbal noun Skirmishing

Definitions

1. To fight slightly or in small parties; to engage in a skirmish or skirmishes; to act as skirmishers.

Skir"mish noun

Etymology

OE. scarmishe, scrymishe. See Skirmish, v. i.

Definitions

1. A slight fight in war; a light or desultory combat between detachments from armies, or between detached and small bodies of troops.
2. A slight contest.

   They never meet but there's a skirmish of wit. Shak.