Skirl"ing, n. A shrill cry or sound; a crying shrilly; a skirl. [Prov.
Eng. & Scot.] Sir W. Scott.
When the skirling of the pipes cleft the air his cold eyes
softened.
Mrs. J. H. Ewing.
Skirl"ing, n. (Zoöl.) A small trout or salmon; -- a name used loosely.
[Prov. Eng.]
Skir"mish (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Skirmished (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Skirmishing.] [OE. skirmishen, scarmishen, OF. escremir, eskermir, to
fence, fight, F. escrimer, of German origin; cf. OHG. scirmen to
protect, defend, G. schirmen, OHG. scirm, scerm, protection, shield, G.
schirm; perhaps akin to Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; a sunshade. Cf. Scaramouch,
Scrimmage.] To fight slightly or in small parties; to engage in a
skirmish or skirmishes; to act as skirmishers.
Skir"mish, n.[OE. scarmishe, scrymishe. See Skirmish, v. i.] 1. A
slight fight in war; a light or desultory combat between detachments
from armies, or between detached and small bodies of troops.