In 2022 the new Australian PM is more cautious in the choice of words, though he could not refrain from the threat to cold-shoulder Putin.
In 2014 Tony Abbott said he would “shirtfront” Vladimir Putin over the downing of MH17, claiming his conversation with the Russian president at the G20 would be “the toughest conversation of all”.
Tony Abbott’s threat to “shirtfront” the Russian president during an international summit prompted a dictionary to broaden its definition of the word beyond its Aussie rules meaning.
Russian officials ridiculed the threat made by the Prime Minister at a news conference last month, warning that President Vladimir Putin was a judo expert.
Now the Macquarie Dictionary online will offer alternative definitions of “shirtfront,” including “to confront someone with a complaint or grievance.” Previously the dictionary made it two words and put the definition as: shirt fronter, a head-on charge aimed at bumping an opponent to the ground.