It was first coined by the aggressive, fictional government spin-doctor Malcolm Tucker in TV satire The Thick of It while he berated his staff or bosses.
Now Tucker, played by Scots actor Peter Capaldi, has seen his word omnishambles entered into the real-life lexicon after the Oxford English Dictionary named it as the Word of the Year. It has frequently made it into print, online and even been used by the Labour leader in the House of Commons since Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg suffered a series of damaging headlines over policies.
From the U-turn on the "pasty tax" to plans for VAT on static caravans and one minister's suggestion that people keep petrol at home in jerry cans, omnishambles is a part of our lives.
Ed Miliband even used it to describe Chancellor George Osborne's Budget in Parliament.
The dictionary definition is "a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterised by a string of blunders and miscalculations".
The 2012 Olympics also inspired entries for the dictionary.
Games maker and Mobot are also shortlisted.
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