— skirmisher , n.
/skerr"mish/ , n.
1. Mil. a fight between small bodies of troops, esp. advanced or outlying detachments of opposing armies.
2. any brisk conflict or encounter: She had a skirmish with her landlord about the rent.
v.i.
3. to engage in a skirmish.
[ 1300-50; (n.) ME skirmysshe eskirmiss-, long s. of eskirmir skirman ); r. ME scarmouche escaramoucher (see SCARAMOUCH); (v.) late ME scarmuchen, scarmusshen to skirmish, ME skirmisshen to brandish a weapon escar ( a ) mucher to skirmish; vowels influenced by OF eskirmiss- ]
Syn. 1. combat, brush. See battle 1 .