stiff

stiff  (stf)

adj. stiff·er, stiff·est

1. Difficult to bend; rigid.

2.

a. Not moving or operating easily or freely; resistant: a stiff hinge.

b. Lacking ease or comfort of movement; not limber: a stiff neck.

3. Drawn tightly; taut.

4.

a. Rigidly formal.

b. Lacking ease or grace.

5. Not liquid, loose, or fluid; thick: stiff dough.

6. Firm, as in purpose; resolute.

7. Having a strong, swift, steady force or movement: a stiff current; a stiff breeze.

8. Potent or strong: a stiff drink.

9. Difficult, laborious, or arduous: a stiff hike; a stiff examination.

10. Difficult to comprehend or accept; harsh or severe: a stiff penalty.

11. Excessively high: a stiff price.

12. Nautical Not heeling over much in spite of great wind or the press of the sail.

adv.

1. In a stiff manner: frozen stiff.

2. To a complete extent; totally: bored stiff.

n. Slang

1. A corpse.

2. A person regarded as constrained, priggish, or overly formal.

3. A drunk.

4. A person: a lucky stiff; just an ordinary working stiff.

5. A hobo; a tramp.

6. A person who tips poorly.

tr.v. stiffed, stiff·ing, stiffs Slang

1. To tip (someone) inadequately or not at all, as for a service rendered: paid the dinner check but stiffed the waiter.

2.

a. To cheat (someone) of something owed: My roommate stiffed me out of last month's rent.

b. To fail to give or supply (something expected or promised).

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[Middle English, from Old English stf.]

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stiffish adj.

stiffly adv.

stiffness n.

Synonyms: stiff, rigid, inflexible, inelastic, tense¹
These adjectives describe what is very firm and does not easily bend or give way. Stiff, the least specific, refers to what can be flexed only with difficulty (a brush with stiff bristles); with reference to persons it often suggests a lack of ease, cold formality, or fixity, as of purpose: "stiff in opinions" (John Dryden).
Rigid and inflexible apply to what cannot be bent without damage or deformation (a table of rigid plastic; an inflexible knife blade); figuratively they describe what does not relent or yield: "under the dictates of a rigid disciplinarian" (Thomas B. Aldrich). "In religion the law is written, and inflexible, never to do evil" (Oliver Goldsmith).
Inelastic refers largely to what will not stretch and spring back without marked physical change: inelastic construction materials.
Tense means stretched tight and figuratively applies to what is marked by tautness or strain: "that tense moment of expectation" (Arnold Bennett).

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stiff [stɪf]

adj

1. not easily bent; rigid; inflexible

2. not working or moving easily or smoothly a stiff handle

3. difficult to accept in its severity or harshness a stiff punishment

4. moving with pain or difficulty; not supple a stiff neck

5. difficult; arduous a stiff climb

6. unrelaxed or awkward; formal

7. firmer than liquid in consistency; thick or viscous

8. powerful; strong a stiff breeze a stiff drink

9. excessively high a stiff price

10. (Transport / Nautical Terms) Nautical (of a sailing vessel) relatively resistant to heeling or rolling Compare tender¹ [11]

11. lacking grace or attractiveness

12. stubborn or stubbornly maintained a stiff fight

13. Obsolete tightly stretched; taut

14. Slang chiefly Austral unlucky

15. Slang intoxicated

stiff upper lip See lip [9]

stiff with Informal amply provided with

n

1. Slang a corpse

2. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Horse Racing) Slang anything thought to be a loser or a failure; flop

adv

completely or utterly bored stiff frozen stiff

vb

1. (intr) Slang to fail the film stiffed

2. (tr) Slang chiefly US to cheat or swindle

3. (tr) Slang to kill

[Old English stīf; related to Old Norse stīfla to dam up, Middle Low German stīf stiff, Latin stīpēs wooden post, stīpāre to press]

stiffish  adj

stiffly  adv

stiffness  n

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stiff

• rigidulous - Describing something somewhat rigid or a little stiff.
• clumse - If you are clumse, you are stiff from the cold.
• string - Etymologically, something that has been pulled "taut, stiff."
• stone - From a Germanic base meaning "solidity" or "stiffness."

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	stiff - an ordinary man; "a lucky stiff"; "a working stiff" adult male, man - an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman); "there were two women and six men on the bus"
	2.	stiff - the dead body of a human being; "the cadaver was intended for dissection"; "the end of the police search was the discovery of a corpse"; "the murderer confessed that he threw the stiff in the river"; "honor comes to bless the turf that wraps their clay" cadaver, corpse, remains, clay dead body, body - a natural object consisting of a dead animal or person; "they found the body in the lake" cremains - the remains of a dead body after cremation jargon, lingo, patois, argot, vernacular, slang, cant - a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo"
Adj.	1.	stiff - not moving or operating freely; "a stiff hinge" immobile - not capable of movement or of being moved
	2.	stiff - powerful; "a stiff current"; "a stiff breeze" strong - having strength or power greater than average or expected; "a strong radio signal"; "strong medicine"; "a strong man"
	3.	stiff - rigidly formal; "a starchy manner"; "the letter was stiff and formal"; "his prose has a buckram quality" buckram, starchy formal - being in accord with established forms and conventions and requirements (as e.g. of formal dress); "pay one's formal respects"; "formal dress"; "a formal ball"; "the requirement was only formal and often ignored"; "a formal education"
	4.	stiff - having a strong physiological or chemical effect; "a potent toxin"; "potent liquor"; "a potent cup of tea", "a stiff drink" potent, strong effective, effectual, efficacious - producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect; "an air-cooled motor was more effective than a witch's broomstick for rapid long-distance transportation"-LewisMumford; "effective teaching methods"; "effective steps toward peace"; "made an effective entrance"; "his complaint proved to be effectual in bringing action"; "an efficacious law" fertile - capable of reproducing powerful - having great power or force or potency or effect; "the most powerful government in western Europe"; "his powerful arms"; "a powerful bomb"; "the horse's powerful kick"; "powerful drugs"; "a powerful argument"
	5.	stiff - marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable; "firm convictions"; "a firm mouth"; "steadfast resolve"; "a man of unbendable perseverence"; "unwavering loyalty" unbendable, unfaltering, unshakable, unwavering, firm, steadfast, steady resolute - firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination; "stood resolute against the enemy"; "faced with a resolute opposition"; "a resolute and unshakeable faith"
	6.	stiff - incapable of or resistant to bending; "a rigid strip of metal"; "a table made of rigid plastic"; "a palace guardsman stiff as a poker"; "stiff hair"; "a stiff neck" rigid inflexible - resistant to being bent; "an inflexible iron bar"; "an inflexible knife blade";
	7.	stiff - very drunk                           besotted, blind drunk, blotto, pie-eyed, slopped, sloshed, smashed, soaked, soused, sozzled, squiffy, crocked, fuddled, pissed, pixilated, plastered, cockeyed, loaded, wet, tight jargon, lingo, patois, argot, vernacular, slang, cant - a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves); "they don't speak our lingo" drunk, inebriated, intoxicated - stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol); "a noisy crowd of intoxicated sailors"; "helplessly inebriated"
Adv.	1.	stiff - extremely; "bored stiff"; "frightened stiff"
	2.	stiff - in a stiff manner; "his hands lay stiffly" stiffly

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stiff

adjective

1. inflexible, rigid, unyielding, hard, firm, tight, solid, tense, hardened, brittle, taut, solidified, unbending, inelastic The film is crammed with corsets, bustles and stiff collars.
inflexible flexible, elastic, pliable, pliant, yielding, limp, ductile, bendable

2. unsupple, arthritic, creaky (informal), rheumaticky I'm stiff all over right now.
unsupple flexible, supple, lithe, limber, lissom(e)

3. formal, constrained, reserved, forced, laboured, cold, mannered, wooden, artificial, uneasy, chilly, unnatural, austere, pompous, prim, stilted, starchy (informal), punctilious, priggish, standoffish, ceremonious, unrelaxed They always seemed a little awkward with each other, a bit stiff and formal.
formal easy, natural, relaxed, casual, informal, unofficial, spontaneous, laid-back, unceremonious

4. vigorous, great, strong, determined, spirited, resolute, steely, unyielding, unflagging The film faces stiff competition for the nomination.

5. severe, strict, harsh, hard, heavy, sharp, extreme, cruel, drastic, rigorous, stringent, oppressive, austere, inexorable, pitiless stiff anti-drugs laws

6. strong, fresh, powerful, vigorous, brisk a stiff breeze rustling the trees

7. difficult, hard, tough, exacting, formidable, trying, fatiguing, uphill, arduous, laborious the stiff climb to the finish

8. potent, strong, powerful, alcoholic, intoxicating a stiff whisky

Translations

stiff [stɪf]

A. ADJ (stiffer (compar) (stiffest (superl)))

1. (= rigid) [card, paper, chair] → rígido, duro; [collar, fabric] → duro, tieso; [brush, boots] → duro; [corpse] → rígido

2. (= firm) [paste, mixture] → compacto, consistente
beat the egg whites until stiff → bata las claras de huevo a punto de nieve

3. (Physiol) [joints, limbs, muscles] → entumecido, agarrotado; [fingers] → rígido, agarrotado; [movement] → rígido
inactivity can make your joints stiff → sus articulaciones se pueden entumecer or agarrotar por la inactividad
to become or get stiff [joints, limbs, muscles] → entumecerse, agarrotarse
to feel stiff (because of cold, injury etc) → sentirse agarrotado; (after exercise) → tener agujetas
I feel stiff all over (after exercise) → tengo agujetas por todo el cuerpo
to have a stiff neck → tener tortícolis
to be stiff with cold → estar aterido, estar entumecido de frío
to be (as) stiff as a board or poker → estar más tieso que un palo
to keep a stiff upper lip → mantener el tipo → poner a mal tiempo buena cara

4. (= unresponsive) [door, drawer, lock] → duro, que no abre bien, atorado(esp LAm)
the lock was stiff → costaba abrir el cerrojo, el cerrojo no abría bien

5. (= cold, formal) [smile, bow] → frío; [person, manner] → estirado, frío; [atmosphere] → estirado, frío
he gave a stiff bow → se inclinó con frialdad or con formalidad
stiff and formal [person, manner, atmosphere] → estirado y formal

6. (= tough) [climb, test] → difícil, duro; [penalty, sentence, fine] → severo; [resistance] → tenaz; [challenge] → difícil; [opposition, competition] → duro

7. (= high) [price] → excesivo, exorbitante; [price rise] → fuerte

8. (= strong) [breeze] → fuerte; [drink] → cargado
she poured herself a stiff whisky → se sirvió un vaso grande de whisky
that's a bit stiff! → ¡eso es mucho or demasiado!, ¡se han pasado!

B. ADV to be bored stiff → aburrirse como una ostra
to be frozen stiff → estar muerto de frío
to be scared stiff → estar muerto de miedo
to be worried stiff → estar muy preocupado, estar preocupadísimo

C. N

1. (= corpse) → cadáver m, fiambre m (hum)

2. (US) (= tramp) → vagabundo/a m/f; (= drunk) → borracho/a m/f

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stiff [ˈstɪf]

adj

(= rigid) [card, cloth, material] → raide, rigide; [brush] → dur(e)
the stiff upper lip (British) → le flegme
to keep a stiff upper lip → faire bonne contenance
We must try to keep a stiff upper lip → Nous devons essayer de faire bonne contenance.

(= hard to open) [door, window] → dur(e)

[muscles] → raide
to be stiff [person] (from exercise) → avoir des courbatures; (from sitting still) → avoir des courbatures
to feel stiff (from exercise) → avoir des courbatures; (from sitting still) → avoir des courbatures
to have a stiff neck → avoir le torticolis

(= unfriendly) [person, manner, behaviour, smile] → guindé(e)

(= difficult) [competition, laws, penalties] → sévère; [opposition] → farouche; [climb] → difficile
to meet stiff opposition → rencontrer une opposition farouche

[drink] → bien tassé(e)
a stiff whisky → un whisky bien tassé

(= strong) [wind, breeze] → cinglant(e)

adv
to be bored stiff → s'ennuyer à mourir
to be frozen stiff → être mort(e) de froid
to be scared stiff → être mort(e) de peur
to be worried stiff → être mort(e) d'inquiétude

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stiff

adj (+er)

→ steif; corpse → starr, steif; brush, bristles → hart; dough, paste → fest

resistance, drink, dose → stark; fight → zäh, hart; sentence, challenge, competition → hart; opposition → stark, heftig; breeze → steif; climb, test → schwierig; examination, task → schwer, schwierig; penalty, punishment → schwer; price, demand → hoch; that’s a bit stiff → das ist ganz schön happig (inf)

door, lock, drawer → klemmend

to be stiff with cold → steif gefroren sein; to go stiff with terror → in Angststarre verfallen; to be (as) stiff as a board or poker → steif wie ein Brett sein

smile → kühl; bow, person, manner, atmosphere → steif

adv → steif

n (inf) → Leiche f

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stiff:

stiff arm

n (US) to give somebody the stiff → jdn mit ausgestrecktem Arm wegstoßen

stiff-arm

vt (US) to stiff somebody → jdn mit ausgestrecktem Arm wegstoßen

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stiff [stɪf] adj (-er (comp) (-est (superl)))

a. (gen) → rigido/a; (starched, shirt) → inamidato/a; (brush) → duro/a; (dough) → compatto/a, denso/a; (arm, joint) → rigido/a, indolenzito/a; (muscle) → legato/a
to have a stiff neck/back → avere il torcicollo/mal di schiena
to be or feel stiff → essere or sentirsi indolenzito/a
the door's stiff → la porta si apre (or si chiude) con difficoltà
as stiff as a ramrod or a poker → dritto/a come un palo
to keep a stiff upper lip (Brit) (fig) → restare impassibile

b. (fig) (climb, examination, test) → arduo/a, difficile; (competition, breeze, drink) → forte; (resistance) → tenace; (punishment) → severo/a; (price, fine) → salato/a; (manner, smile, reception) → freddo/a
that's a bit stiff! (fam) → è un po' troppo!
it was a stiff price to pay (fig) → l'hanno pagata cara
bored stiff → annoiato/a a morte

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stiff

adj stiff [stif]

1 rigid or firm, and not easily bent, folded etc He has walked with a stiff leg since he injured his knee; stiff cardboard. styf صَلْب، يابِس вдървен tuhý; nepohyblivý stiv steif δύσκαμπτος, σκληρός rígido, tieso jäik انعطاف ناپذير jäykkä raide נוּקשֶׁה सुस्थिर ukočen, krut merev kaku stífur rigido; indolenzito こわばった 빳빳한 kietas, nelankstus, tvirtas stīvs; ciets tegar stijf stiv sztywny rígido ţea­păn, rigid негнущийся tuhý; tvrdý tog ukočen stel, styv ที่หักได้ยาก sert, katı 堅硬的，不易彎曲的 тугий, негнучкий سخت cứng 坚硬的，不易弯曲的

2 moving, or moved, with difficulty, pain etc I can't turn the key – the lock is stiff; I woke up with a stiff neck; I felt stiff the day after the climb. styf مُتَصَلِّب، مُنْقَبِض схванат nepoddajný, ztuhlý stiv steif μαγκωμένος, πιασμένος duro kange خشك jäykkä dur; raide תָפוּס रूढ़ा, रूक्ष, शुष्क, औपचारिक težak, ukočen nehezen mozgó; mindene fáj kaku stífur rigido, duro; indolenzito なめらかに動かない 뻣뻣한 užstrigęs, sustingęs, nepajudinamas stingrs; stīvs sakit stijf stiv; støl działający opornie, sztywny duro dur; rigid тугой; онемелый stuhnutý, zdrevenelý trd ukočen stel, trög เคลื่อนไหวได้ยาก tutuk, oynamayan 難動的 закостенілий, здерев'янілий بے لوچ cứng rắn 难动的

3 (of a cooking mixture etc) thick, and not flowing a stiff dough. styf كَثيف، دَبِق، جامِد гъст tuhý stiv zäh σφιχτός espeso tihke پر ملاط paksu consistant סָמִיך गाढ़ा gust sűrű kental þykkur denso, spesso, consistente かた練りの (요리 등이) 뻑뻑한 tirštas, kietas biezs keras stijf stiv, tykk gęsty espesso consistent густой; крутой tuhý gost čvrst trög, tjock ที่หนา koyu, katı 稠的 щільний, густий گاڑھا đặc, quánh 稠的

4 difficult to do a stiff examination. moeilik شاق، صَعْب труден těžký svær schwierig δύσκολος, ζόρικος difícil raske دشوار vaikea difficile קָשֶה कठिन, दु:साध्य težak, naporan nehéz sulit erfiður difficile むずかしい 어려운 sunkus grūts sukar moeilijk vanskelig, streng ciężki, trudny difícil dificil трудный prísny, ťažký težaven težak svår, besvärlig ยากที่จะทำ zor 艱難的 важкий دشوار khó làm, khó khăn 艰难的

5 strong a stiff breeze. sterk شَديد، قَوي силен ostrý stærk steif δυνατός fuerte kõva قوي navakka fort חָזָק कठोर कक्ष jak, žestok erős kuat allmikill, stífur forte 強い 강한 stiprus stiprs; spēcīgs kuat stijf sterk, stiv (kuling) silny forte puternic сильный ostrý močan jak styv, hård แข็ง kuvvetli 強烈的 сильний کرخت thổi mạnh 强烈的

6 (of a person or his manner etc) formal and unfriendly I received a stiff note from the bank manager. onvriendelik, formeel رَسْمي وَغَيْر وُدّي хладен strohý streng; skrap steif τυπικός, ψυχρός frío, formal, estirado jäik, ebasõbralik رسمي jäykän muodollinen froid חָרִיף तना हुआ nadut, formalan kimért, hűvös tegas ópersónulegur, ólipur freddo 堅苦しい 딱딱한, 뻣뻣한 oficialus, formalus oficiāls; formāls; vēss tegas stijf stiv, formell chłodny formal rece чопорный strohý zadržan formalan stel, kylig, formell ที่ควบคุมอย่างเข้มงวด resmî, soğuk 嚴厲的，不友好的 натягнутий, холодний اکھڑ یا ضدی không thân mật 严厉的，不友好的

adv stiffly

styf بِصَلابَه твърдо upjatě stift; svært; stærkt; strengt; skrapt steif δύσκολα, δύσκαμπτα, ψυχρά, τυπικά rígidamente jäigalt با حالت خشك و رسمي jäykästi avec raideur בְּנוֹקשוּת सख्ती से, औपचारिकता से, कठोरतापूर्वक, कठिनाई से ukočeno mereven; kimérten; makacsul secara kaku af stífni rigidamente 堅苦しく 단단하게, 빳빳하게 stipriai stīvi; cieti; formāli dengan tegas stijf stivt, formelt sztywno, chłodno inflexivelmente cu rigiditate чопорно upäto togo kruto stelt อย่างแข็ง; อย่างยากลำบาก sert şekilde; soğuk 強烈地 натягнуто, холодно سختی سے cứng, không thân mật, kiên quyết 强烈地

n stiffness

styfheid صَلابَه твърдост upjatost; ztuhlost stivhed; unaturlighed die Steifheit δυσκολία, δυσκαμψία, ψυχρότητα, τυπικότητα rigidez jäikus حالت خشك و رسمي jäykkyys raideur נוֹקשוּת कठोरता, सख्ती, औपचारिकता, कठोरता krutost, ukočenost merevség, feszesség, keménység kekakuan stífni rigidezza 堅苦しさ 단단함, 빳빳함 oficialumas stīvums; formalitāte ketegasan stijfheid stivhet; formalitet uczucie sztywności rigidez rigiditate чопорность upätosť; nehybnosť togost krutost stelhet ความแข็งทื่อไม่หยืดหยุ่น sertlik; soğukluk 僵硬 негнучкість; здерев'янілість سختی sự cứng, không thân mật, kiên quyết 僵硬

v stiffen

to make or become stiff(er) You can stiffen cotton with starch; He stiffened when he heard the unexpected sound. styf word يَتَصَلَّب втвърдявам се vyztužit; ztuhnout stive; stivne (sich ver)steifen σκληραίνω, κοκαλώνω, γίνομαι άκαμπτος fortalecer, endurecer, poner rígido kõvendama, kangestuma خشك كردن jäykistyä, jäykistää (se) raidir לִקפוֹא עַל מְקוֹמוֹ कड़ा बनाना, कठोर बनाना, दु:खदायी होना ukrutiti, ukočiti (meg)merevít membuat kaku gera (e-ð) stíft; stífna irrigidire, irrigidirsi こわばらせる 뻣뻣하게 만들다, 굳어지다 (su)kietinti, standinti, sustingti iecietināt; sastingt menjadi keras verstijven stivne, gjøre stiv, avstive sztywnieć, usztywniać entesar(-se) a (se) încorda придавать жёсткость;напрячься vystužiť; stuhnúť otrditi ukrutiti [] stelna, stelna till ทำให้แข็งทื่อ sertleş(tir)mek, kasılmak 變硬，使呆板 ставати чи робити негнучким سخت اور مضبوط بنانا làm cứng, củng cố 变硬，使呆板

n stiffening

material used to stiffen something The collar has some stiffening in it. styfsel مادَّةٌ تُصَلِّب втвърдител výztuž stivelse die Versteifung υλικό κολαρίσματος refuerzo kõvendus(materjal) خشك كن kovike empois מַקשִיחַ स्तंभन krućenje, sredstvo za skrućivanje keményítő kain keras stífelsi rinforzo 芯 강화제 standinanti medžiaga stīvinātājs; stīvdrēbe pengeras versteviging stivelsesmiddel sztywnik reforço apret жёсткая прокладка výstuž trdilec materijal za ukrućivanje styvningsmedel วัตถุดิบบางอย่างที่ทำให้แข็งทื่อ sertleştirici, telâ 加固物 те, що надає жорсткості کسی چیز کو سخت بنانے کے لیے استعمال ہونے والا مادہ chất hồ cứng 加固物

bore, scare stiff

to bore or frighten very much. baie verveeld, baie bang يموتُ من الرُّعْب умирам от скука/страх nudit/vyděsit k smrti kede livet af sig; være dødbange zu Tode gelangweilt/erschrocken βαριέμαι ή τρομάζω μέχρι θανάτου aburrirse como una ostra; estar muerto de miedo tüütama, surnuks ehmatama ترس بوجود آوردن ikävystyttää/pelästyttää kuoliaaksi ennuyer à mourir; faire une peur bleue à לְהַפחִיד थकाना nasmrt, strašno (prestrašiti, dosađivati) halálra untat/rémít sangat membosankan drepa úr leiðindum; gera dauðhræddan (annoiare a morte); (spaventare a morte) ひどく退屈させる 질겁하게 하다 mirtinai įkyrėti, mirtinai išgąsdinti garlaikot līdz nāvei; pārbiedēt stīvu menjadi takut gruwelijk vervelen, doodsbang maken kjede livet av seg; være livredd śmiertelnie nudzić/przestraszyć aborrecer/assustar de morte a se plictisi de moarte; a muri de frică надоесть, напугать(ся) до смерти nudiť na smrť; vystrašiť sa smrť na smrt dolgočasiti/prestrašiti prestrašiti tråka ut ngn fullständigt/skrämma vettet ur ngn ทำให้กังวลหรือหวาดกลัวมาก can sıkıntısından patlatmak/ödünü koparmak 嚇呆 налякати до смерті بہت زیادہ خوف زدہ کرنا sợ chết cứng 吓呆

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stiff → قَاسْ tvrdý stiv steif δύσκαμπτος tieso jäykkä raide krut rigido 堅い 딱딱한 stijf stiv sztywny rígido жесткий stel แข็ง katı cứng 坚硬的