Skirmish in Malayalam
A skirmish, in the sense of a short scuffle, is കടിപിടി (kadipidi). The word literally stacks grabbing and holding, which is exactly what the thing looks like. Kerala reports use it for a flare-up between two groups that stops short of a riot.
Most common translation
Scuffle, skirmish, clash.
പൂച്ചയും നായും കടിപിടി തുടങ്ങി.
poochayum naayum kadipidi thudangi
The cat and the dog began a scuffle.
All Malayalam words for “skirmish”
- കടിപിടി (kadipidi) — Scuffle, skirmish, clash.
- ഉന്തും തള്ളും (unthum thallum) — Jostling, skirmish, crowding, crush.
ഉന്തും തള്ളും (unthum thallum) is the pushing and shoving of a crowd rather than a fight between sides, so it fits a crush at a gate better than a clash.
Common questions
How do you say skirmish in Malayalam?
കടിപിടി (kadipidi), a brief scuffle or clash.
Is there a military sense?
For a small engagement between troops Malayalam news prefers a phrase built on the word for clash; കടിപിടി (kadipidi) sounds civilian.