skirmish
[noun]
Synonyms:
- fight, battle, brush, clash, conflict, encounter, fracas, scrap (informal)
[verb]
Synonyms:
- fight, clash, collide

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Contrasted words: pitched battle
Related Words: assault, attack, ambush

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English Thesaurus: argument, row, disagreement, quarrel, feud, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

skir‧mish /ˈskɜːmɪʃ $ ˈskɜːr-/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: escaramouche, from Old Italian scaramuccia]

1. a fight between small groups of soldiers, ships etc, especially one that happens away from the main part of a battle – used in news reports
skirmish with/between/over
The young soldier was killed in a skirmish with government troops.

2. a short argument, especially between political or sports opponents
skirmish with/between/over
Bates was sent off after a skirmish with the referee.
a budget skirmish between the President and Congress
—skirmish verb [intransitive]:
They skirmished briefly with soldiers from Fort Benton.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

skirmish
noun
ADJ. little, minor | border
SKIRMISH + VERB break out, take place Minor skirmishes broke out all along the border.
PREP. in a/the ~ He was killed in a border skirmish.
~ between skirmishes between the police and guerillas
~ over a skirmish over boundaries
~ with They were involved in a skirmish with rival fans.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

argument a situation in which people speak angrily to each other because they disagree about something:
an argument between two drivers over who had right of way
A 29-year-old man was shot and killed today after an argument over a gambling debt.
row British English, fight especially American English a loud angry argument with someone, especially your boyfriend, girlfriend, or someone in your family. Row is also used about a serious disagreement between politicians about important public issues:
There were always fights between my parents.
the continuing row over tax increases
A few months ago they had a big row, and Steve drove off and spent the weekend in London.
disagreement a situation in which people disagree with each other, but without shouting or getting angry:
There were the occasional disagreements about money, but mostly we got on well.
Ginny had left the company after a disagreement with her boss.
quarrel especially British English an argument, especially one in which people get angry and that lasts a long time. Quarrel sounds more formal and more serious than argument or row:
a bitter family quarrel
feud /fjuːd/ a very bitter argument between two groups, especially families, which lasts for many years and causes people to hate each other:
The feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys raged for 20 years.
dispute a public or legal argument about something, especially one which continues for a long time:
Morris has been involved in a long legal dispute with his publisher.
The settlement will resolve a long-running dispute over the country’s nuclear program.
war/battle of words an argument in which two people or groups criticize each other continuously in public:
The war of words over construction delays at the airport has erupted again.
bust-up British English informal a very bad argument, especially one in which people decide to separate from each other:
He had a bust-up with the team manager.
shouting match an angry argument in which people shout at each other:
He got into a shouting match with another driver.
slanging match British English informal an argument in which people insult each other:
He was sacked after a slanging match with a colleague.
squabble /ˈskwɒbəl $ ˈskwɑː-/ an argument about something that is not important:
There were the usual squabbles between brothers and sisters.
Voters are tired of petty squabbles between party leaders.
tiff informal an argument that is not very serious, between people who are in love:
Gary had a bit of a tiff with his girlfriend.
misunderstanding a slight argument – a rather formal word which is often used humorously:
There was a slight misunderstanding over the bill, but everything’s been sorted out now.
skirmish a short argument, especially between politicians or sports opponents:
Evans and O'Brien had several political skirmishes.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

war noun [uncountable and countable] a situation in which there is fighting between countries or opposing groups within a country, with large numbers of soldiers and weapons:
He fought in World War II.
the horrors of war
conflict noun [uncountable and countable] a situation in which there is fighting or a war – used especially in news reports:
the conflict in the Middle East
There is increasing danger of armed conflict.
fighting noun [uncountable] a situation in which people or groups fight each other and try to kill each other:
The fighting went on for months.
Fighting in the north has resulted in hundreds of deaths.
hostilities noun [plural] formal fighting in a war:
The agreement called on the guerrillas to cease hostilities (=stop fighting) and begin peace talks.
warfare noun [uncountable] the activity of fighting in a war – used especially to talk about a method of fighting:
new and more advanced methods of warfare
chemical warfare
battle noun [uncountable and countable] an occasion when two armies, groups of ships etc fight each other in one place during a war:
the great naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars
the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805
He died in battle.
skirmish /ˈskɜːmɪʃ $ ˈskɜːr-/ noun [countable] a short fight between small groups of soldiers, ships etc, especially one that happens away from the main part of a war or battle:
There were minor skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops across the border.
combat noun [uncountable] the act of fighting, especially during a war:
Few of them had any experience of combat.
hand-to-hand combat
action noun [uncountable] military actions carried out by the army, navy etc of a country during a war – used especially in the following phrases:
He was killed in action in 1944.
Her son went missing in action.
Her grandfather saw action (=fought) in two world wars.
conflicting views/opinions/ideas
There are conflicting opinions on what causes the disease.
conflicting interests (=different things that people, countries etc want or think are important)
The two groups have conflicting interests.
conflicting emotions
I left home with conflicting emotions of sadness and excitement.
conflicting demands (=things that demand your attention)
the conflicting demands of work and family life
conflicting evidence
The witnesses at the trial gave conflicting evidence.
conflicting results
Scientific tests have produced conflicting results.
conflicting information
There’s a lot of conflicting information about what is best for you to eat.
conflicting advice
I’ve seen two doctors and been given conflicting advice.
conflicting reports/accounts
When questioned, the boys gave conflicting accounts of what they were doing that night.
conflicting theories
There are conflicting theories about the origin of the universe.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲