▪ I. † ˈscrimish, n. Obs.
Forms: 6 skrimishe, skrymisshe, scrimishe, scresmys, screamishe.
[f. scrimish v. Cf. the later form scrimmage n.]
1. = skirmish n.
| 1557 Machyn Diary (Camden) 144 The xvij day of July was a scresmys at Margyson be-twyn the Englysmen and Frenchemen. 1562 Montgomery in Archæologia XLVII. 224 As the auncient and faulmous Romainges..who exercised theire souldiors to the screamishe, to marche in battaile [etc.]. Ibid. 226 To be instructed yn martiall fealtes..whithe the marche, scrimishe, and order of battaile. |
2. An alarm, an outcry. rare. Cf. scrimmage 2.
| 1505 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 391 Every man that answerith not the crye or skrimishe at every of the town gattes..with his feansabull weapon, to paie and forfayte xii.d. |
▪ II. † ˈscrimish, v. Obs.
In 6 skrymysshe, skryssmys.
[variant (after OF. escremiss-) of skirmish v. (a. OF. eskermiss-), q.v. for the full history. Cf. the later form scrimmage v.]
intr. To skirmish.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xviii. 9 b, And some of the oste mounted on good horses, and rode forth to skrymysshe with theym. 1554 Machyn Diary (Camden) 60 Ther the qweyns men and [Wyatt's] men dyd skryssmys. |