skirmish

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

skir·mish [skirmish skirmishes skirmished skirmishing] noun, verb BrE [ˈskɜːmɪʃ] NAmE [ˈskɜːrmɪʃ]
noun
1. a short fight between small groups of soldiers, etc, especially one that is not planned
•Several people were killed in skirmishes during the night.
2. a short argument, especially between political opponents
•a skirmish between the two party leaders

Word Origin:
Middle English (as a verb): from Old French eskirmiss-, lengthened stem of eskirmir, from a Germanic verb meaning ‘defend’.

Example Bank:
•Minor skirmishes broke out all along the border.
•They were involved in a skirmish with rival fans.
•a skirmish over boundaries
•an opening skirmish in the protracted media battle ahead
•skirmishes between the police and guerillas
•There was a short skirmish between party leaders when the government announced the new tax increases.
Derived Words: ↑skirmisher ▪ ↑skirmishing
 
verb intransitive
to take part in a short fight or argument
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English (as a verb): from Old French eskirmiss-, lengthened stem of eskirmir, from a Germanic verb meaning ‘defend’.

Example Bank:
•The patrol skirmished with the enemy for several hours.

 

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  brush, clash, encounter