skir
mish
Plural
skirmishes
1
a brief, small-scale fight between small groups, often part of a larger conflict
- The soldiers were involved in a skirmish at the village outskirts.
- Several skirmishes broke out along the border before the full war started.
- During the battle, there were multiple skirmishes before the main attack.
- The patrol was caught in a skirmish with insurgents.
- The historical records describe a skirmish that lasted only a few minutes.
2
a short, political argument, particularly between rivals
- The soldiers engaged in a brief skirmish with enemy forces before retreating to regroup.
- The skirmish between rival gangs resulted in several injuries and property damage.
- A political skirmish erupted during the debate as candidates clashed over policy issues.
- The police quickly intervened to break up the skirmish between protesters and counter-protesters.
- The skirmish along the border escalated tensions between the two neighboring countries.