• (n.) A fighting with a shadow; a mock contest; an imaginary or futile combat.
Sci·om'a·chy noun [ Greek ..., ...; ... a shadow + ... battle: confer French sciomachie , sciamachie .] A fighting with a shadow; a mock contest; an imaginary or futile combat. [ Written also scimachy .] Cowley. 
sciomachy A variant of sciamachy.sciamachy, skiamachy, sciomachy 1. A sham fight for exercise or practice. 2. The action of 'fighting with a shadow'; 'shadow boxing'.