Hypertext Webster Gateway: "skirmish"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Skirmish \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Skirmish \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.
--Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
skirmish
n : a minor short-term fight [syn: {brush}, {clash}, {encounter}]
v : engage in a skirmish
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