The act of dousing public figures in milkshake has been officially recognised on a 10-strong list of words brought to prominence by
Brexit , which has been issued for the first time by Collins Dictionary.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage had a milkshake thrown at him in May during a campaign walkabout in Newcastle.
English Defence League founder Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and Ukip candidate Carl Benjamin have also been involved in “milkshaking” incidents.
But it was a non-Brexit two-word term, Climate Strike which was named Collins’s Word Of The Year for 2019.
It was described as “a form of protest that took off just over one year ago with the actions of Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg and which has grown to become a worldwide movement”.
Collins said the two word term was used on average 100 times more in 2019 than the previous year.
Dubbed the Brexicon, the list of Brexit-inspired words also includes Brexiteer, described as “a supporter or architect of the withdrawal of Britain from the European Union”.
It comes after Collins Dictionary named Brexit its word of the year for 2016.
Brexiety, which is “a state of heightened anxiety triggered by concerns about the imminent withdrawal of Britain from the European Union”, also features on the list.
The term cakeism - trying to have your cake and eat it - is also recognised, having been used by Remainers and Brexiteers to describe their rivals.
It is defined as “a wish to enjoy two desirable but incompatible alternatives”.
Remoaner also features in the Brexicon, described as a “derogatory term” and “a person who continues to argue that Britain should remain in the European Union despite the result of the referendum of 2016”.
The list also features now-common words or phrases such as no-deal, Project Fear, stockpiling and prorogue.
Collins language consultant Helen Newstead said: “The dictionary has no opinion on Brexit, other than to say it has been quite generous in its gifts to the English language, as well as I am sure inspiring the use of many old-fashioned expletives.
“The Brexicon could be even longer, but we feel our selection sums up many of the key themes since Collins named Brexit word of the year in 2016.
“As the process continues through this latest flextension, no doubt more words will emerge until we come to a Brexend.”
Collins last year it named “single-use” as the word of 2018, which reflected the increasing global awareness in environmental issues.
The term refers to products that are often made of plastic and have been made to use just once, only to be thrown away after, rendering them unsustainable and harmful to the planet.
Collins’s lexicographers said the word “single-use” was being used more than ever before in light of universal efforts to combat the threats such plastics pose to the environment, with the European parliament supporting a ban on products such as straws, cotton swabs and disposable plates.
But Collins is not the only authority that chooses a word of the year, and the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) are also set to announce their winner soon.
The Guardian’s top 10 candidates included the word prorogue - which was used to describe the suspension of Parliament, unlawfully carried out by Boris Johnson in September at the height of the Brexit crisis, according to the Supreme Court.
It said: “Like one of the aged vellum documents stowed in parliament’s Victoria tower, this word was unfurled in August to widespread incomprehension. But it is an important part of the creaking apparatus of the British constitution and refers to the act of ending a parliamentary session.
“As MPs re-entered the chamber on September 25, the only trace of the prorogation was the imprint of its lugubrious syllables in our minds.”
The Cambridge Dictionary has already announced upcycling as its own winner, based on which word resonated most with their Instagram followers.
The Oxford English Dictionary selected toxic in 2018, a word which has been used since the mid-17th Century. The OED said the “sheer scope of its application” in recent years was notable because its use had increased dramatically in both literal and more metaphorical senses.
In 2017, it opted for Youthquake - a significant cultural, political or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people. Prior to that, it chose post-truth, vape and the cry-laughing emoji.
Perhaps the most famous winner, however, was omnishambles, which won in 2012 after it was used by the bad-tempered and fictitious spin doctor Malcolm Tucker in political comedy The Thick of It.
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