n. 1 fight, encounter, fray, brush, clash, engagement, confrontation, showdown, combat, battle, conflict, struggle, set-to, contest, scrimmage, fracas, tussle, mêlée or melee, Law affray, Colloq scrap, dust-up, Brit scrum There was a brief skirmish when the troops met a band of partisans
v. 2 fight, clash, struggle, battle, tussle, clash At the edge of the convoy a destroyer skirmished with a submarine