skirmish
noun
[ ˈskəːmɪʃ ]
• an episode of irregular or unpremeditated fighting, especially between small or outlying parts of armies or fleets.
• "the unit was caught in several skirmishes and the commanding officer was killed"
Similar:
fight,
battle,
clash,
conflict,
encounter,
confrontation,
engagement,
fray,
contest,
combat,
tussle,
scrimmage,
fracas,
affray,
melee,
rencounter,
skirmish
verb
• engage in a skirmish.
• "the two powers have fought three major wars and have skirmished continually"
Similar:
fight,
do battle with,
battle with,
engage with,
close with,
combat,
clash with,
come to blows with,
exchange blows with,
struggle with,
tussle with,
scrap with,
Origin:
Middle English (as a verb): from Old French eskirmiss-, lengthened stem of eskirmir, from a Germanic verb meaning ‘defend’.
