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.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913.