squirmish

The esteemed half term Governor Sarah Palin created a new word for the American lexicon during an unsuccessful attempt to discredit U.S. President Barack Obama.

When the words squeamish and skirmish are combined, squirmish is born. A squirmish occurs when one party engages in a fight with another, but with fear, reserve, or lack of enthusiasm instead of bravado, possibly inferring a lack of courage.

Using the word squirmish can be in and of itself a squirmish. For instance, instead of coming out and calling Pres. Obama a coward, Palin used an inference of cowardice, thereby demonstrating what a half-assed attack can look like, and thus a squirmish.
It was just a squirmish, Sarah didn't want to muss her hair-do.
by effusing March 31, 2011
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