Skirmish
Pronunciation : Skir"mish
Part of Speech : v.
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. Scaramouch, Scrimmage.]
Definition : Defn: To fight slightly or in small parties; to engage in a skirmish or skirmishes; to act as skirmishers.
i. [imp. & p. p. Skirmished; p. pr. & vb. n. Skirmishing.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
Pronunciation : Skir"mish
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [OE. scarmishe, scrymishe. See Skirmish, v. i.]
Definition : 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.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913