Australian PM Tony Abbott expands national dictionary

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who promised to have a robust conversation with Russian President Putin in Brisbane during the G20 summit, used the term "shirtfront." The new meaning of the sports term has not been officially included in the dictionary. Scholars came to realize that the word had taken on a broader meaning in recent decades than just an Australian football term for a shoulder charge to an opponent's chest.

Starting from January, the Macquarie Dictionary, the national dictionary of Australian English, will offer an alternative definition to the verb "shirtfront" - "to confront someone with a complaint or grievance."

Strangely enough, the "robust conversation" between Abbott and Putin has not materialized either before the summit or during the event. As the host of the summit in Brisbane, the  Australian politician was acting in a very hospitable and courteous fashion.

When asked whether Tony Abbott attempted to shirtfront Putin as he said he would, spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said that the Prime Minister of Australia, together with the Russian president, took part in a photo session with koala bears instead and looked very happy. 

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced his intention to shirtfront the Russian leader at the G20 summit in Brisbane and have a very robust conversation with Putin about the crash of the Malaysian Boeing near Donetsk.