skirmish
noun
a fight between small bodies of troops, especially advanced or outlying detachments of opposing armies.
had skirmished
-
past perfectof skirmish.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For generations they had skirmished on the wrong side of the law, hoarding enough funds to become legitimate.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
At three o'clock in the morning the cannon of the Prussians had awakened the bivouacs, and they had skirmished until two o'clock in the afternoon, when the order to retreat reached them.
From Waterloo A sequel to The Conscript of 1813 by Erckmann-Chatrian
The end of it was that the weakened prestige and final fall of the Liberal Ministry were not credited to his generalship, but rather to those who had skirmished in advance of the main army.
From Studies in Contemporary Biography by James Bryce, Viscount Bryce
His reputation now was equal at least to that of Walter Butler, and he had skirmished more than once with the vanguard of the army.
From The Scouts of the Valley by Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander) Altsheler
They were of darker wood than those of the northern tribes we had skirmished with.
From The Frontier Boys in the Grand Canyon A Search for Treasure by Wyn Roosevelt
