Skir"mish (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Skirmished (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Skirmishing.] [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.] To fight slightly or in small parties; to engage in a skirmish or skirmishes; to act as skirmishers.

Skir"mish, n.[OE. scarmishe, scrymishe. See Skirmish, v. i.] 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.

Skir"mish (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Skirmished (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Skirmishing.] [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.] To fight slightly or in small parties; to engage in a skirmish or skirmishes; to act as skirmishers.

Skir"mish, n.[OE. scarmishe, scrymishe. See Skirmish, v. i.] 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.

[[noun]]
• a brief battle between small groups, usually part of a longer or larger battle or war.