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Skirmish: meaning, definitions and examples

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skirmish

 

[ ˈskɜːrmɪʃ ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

military

A skirmish is a brief, unplanned fight or battle between small groups of soldiers.

Synonyms

clash, encounter, scuffle

Examples of usage

  • The soldiers engaged in a skirmish with the enemy forces.
  • During the skirmish, several soldiers were injured.
  • The skirmish lasted only a few minutes before both sides retreated.
Context #2 | Verb

military

To skirmish means to engage in a brief, unplanned fight or battle.

Synonyms

clash, fight, struggle

Examples of usage

  • The two armies skirmished along the border.
  • The troops skirmished with the rebels in the forest.

Translations

Translations of the word "skirmish" in other languages:

🇵🇹 escaramuça

🇮🇳 झड़प

🇩🇪 Scharmützel

🇮🇩 bentrokan

🇺🇦 сутичка

🇵🇱 potyczka

🇯🇵 小競り合い

🇫🇷 échauffourée

🇪🇸 escaramuza

🇹🇷 çatışma

🇰🇷 소규모 전투

🇸🇦 اشتباك

🇨🇿 potyčka

🇸🇰 potýčka

🇨🇳 小冲突

🇸🇮 spopad

🇮🇸 skærur

🇰🇿 қақтығыс

🇬🇪 შეტაკება

🇦🇿 toqquşma

🇲🇽 escaramuza

Etymology

The word 'skirmish' originated in the late 15th century from the Middle French word 'escarmouche', which means a 'skirmish'. It was used to describe small battles or fights involving a limited number of soldiers. Over time, 'skirmish' has become a common term in military contexts to refer to brief, unplanned engagements between opposing forces.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #17,698, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.