stiff en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /stɪf/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *steyp Proto-Germanic *stīfaz Proto-West Germanic *stīf Old English stīf Middle English stif English stiff From Middle English stiff, stiffe, stif, from Old English stīf, from Proto-West Germanic *stīf, from Proto-Germanic *stīfaz, from Proto-Indo-European *steypós. See also West Frisian stiif, Dutch stijf, Norwegian Bokmål stiv, German steif; also Latin stīpes, stīpō, from which English stevedore. The expected Modern English form would be /staɪf/; /stɪf/ is probably originally from compounds such as stiffly, where the vowel was shortened before a consonant cluster.
Meanings
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(of an object) Rigid; hard to bend; inflexible.
“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:You have discovered the corpse of Captain Willem of the MSV Majesty. His stiff fingers are wrapped tightly around a small datapad.
2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Xawin:
- (figuratively, of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) Inflexible; rigid.
- (of a person) Formal in behavior; unrelaxed.
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(colloquial) Harsh, severe.
To fit them for heavy loads on gradients as stiff as 1 in 45 in tropical conditions, these Class 90 diesels embody several unusual features, [...].
1961 February, “New English Electric diesels for East Africa”, in Trains Illustrated, page 90:He was eventually caught, and given a stiff fine.
“Yes. I believe she has passed quite a stiff exam.”
1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 124:
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(of muscles or parts of the body) Painful or more rigid than usual as a result of excessive or unaccustomed exercise.
My legs are stiff after climbing that hill yesterday.
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Potent.
[Badminton] was popular in India because of the climate, where it was played outdoors, but in England the stiff breezes made it impossible to play without heavily loaded shuttlecocks.
1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 134:In the end, perhaps these deflections are easier than confronting the reality and debunking some of the less helpful stories a certain section of England likes to tell about itself. Much easier to just order another stiff one, and raise the old toast: “My country, right or wrong!”
2023 July 4, Marina Hyde, “Who’s for political Bazball with Rishi? Voters? Tories? Anyone?”, in The Guardian:a stiff drink; a stiff dose; a stiff breeze
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(informal) Expensive, pricey.
He had the practised face of a dealer also. But he was a Jew and chaffering was in his blood, and he said, "A bit stiff, isn't it? I mean without a guarantee that it's by the original maker?"
1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 158:
- (informal) Dead, deceased.
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(of the penis, slang) Erect.
Adieu! faint-hearted instrument of lust; / That falselie hath betrayde our equale trust. / Hence-forth no more will I implore thine ayde, / Or thee, or man of cowardize upbrayde. / My little dilldo shall suply their kinde: / A knaue, that moues as light as leaues by winde; / That bendeth not, nor fouldeth anie deale, / But stands as stiff as he were made of steele; / And playes at peacock twixt my leggs right blythe, / And doeth my tickling swage with manie a sighe. / For, by saint Runnion! he'le refresh me well; / And neuer make my tender bellie swell.
c. 1592–1593 (date written), Thomas Nash[e], “The Choosing of Valentines”, in John S[tephen] Farmer, editor, The Choise of Valentines: Or The Merie Ballad of Nash His Dildo […], London: Privately printed for subscribers only, published 1899, →OCLC, pages 18–19, lines 233–244:
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Having a dense consistency; thick; (by extension) Difficult to stir.
Adding too much peanut butter to your Peanut Sauce recipe may cause your sauce to turn out too stiff.
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(of whipping cream or egg whites) Beaten until so aerated that they stand up straight on their own.
beat the egg whites until they are stiff
- Of an equation, for which certain numerical solving methods are numerically unstable, unless the step size is taken to be extremely small.
- Keeping upright.
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Of a shot, landing so close to the flagstick that it should be very easy to sink the ball with the next shot.
I go all out, go for the long ball, the stiff shots to the pin, aim for the back of the cup.
1968, William Price Fox, Southern Fried Plus Six: Short Works of Fiction, page 219:
- (of a strike) Delivered more forcefully than needed, whether intentionally or accidentally, thus causing legitimate pain to the opponent.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| stiffer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| stiffest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
flexible · malleable · slack · loose · soft
Deriveds
stiffen · overstiff · stiff-tailed duck · stiff skin syndrome · stiff-hearted · unstiff · nonstiff · frozen stiff · diabetic stiff hand syndrome · stiff person syndrome · stiff-arm · stiff porridge · stiff-leaf goldenrod · stiffship · stiffish · stiff peaks · stiff as a poker · scared stiff · Stiff Street · stiff as a board · stiff upper lip · stiff-lipped · stifflike · stiff-backed · stiff-necked · stiffy · stifftail · stiff sickness · stiffware · stiff-person syndrome · stiff man syndrome · stiff peak · bindle stiff · stiff 'un · stiffness · stiff shit · stiff cheddar · bored stiff · stiff neck · stiffleg · stiffnecked
Hyponyms
Synonyms
hard · immalleable · powerful · killed · decomposed · firm · gooey · fey · no more · wasted · six feet under · stark · syrupy · solid · tight · stark · no more · lentous · breathless · extinct · unalived · thickflowing · hard · resting · gooey · thickflowing · viscose · defunct · ossified · stiff · glutinous · low · inanimate · heavy · unyielding · six feet deep · hardened · brutal · viscid · at rest · rigid · inert · thick · asleep · expired · no longer with us · stiff · treacly · strong · late · lifeless · unalive · with God · unbending · cadaverous · cold · unlimber · stubborn · clay-cold · living impaired · deceased · kaput · gone · firm · departed · taut · perished · good · frozen · stiff · blessed · departed · viscous · inflexible · reposing · petrified · tumescent · slabby · whilom
Translations (166)
bg надървен (erect, of a penis) · gd rag (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · it rigido (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · bg корав (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · es duro (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt dolorido (of muscles, or parts of the body) · cmn 硬 (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · cy dur (colloquial: harsh, severe) · ja 固い (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · nn stiv (erect, of a penis) · th แข็ง (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · unm chinkale (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt rígido (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ru непоколеби́мый (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · scn pisanti (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · it rigido (of muscles, or parts of the body) · gl serio (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · ko 딱딱한 (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · es yerto (of muscles, or parts of the body) · ne कडा (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ru стро́гий (colloquial: harsh, severe) · ru твёрдый (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · la rigidus (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ja 硬い (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · lv stīvs (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · de steif (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · cy rhyn (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · fi kankea (of muscles, or parts of the body) · gd rag (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · la rigēns (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · hu merev (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · cy rhyn (colloquial: harsh, severe) · es serio (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · ru жёсткий (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · scn pisanti (colloquial: harsh, severe) · scn tisu (of muscles, or parts of the body) · it duro (colloquial: harsh, severe) · es feroz (colloquial: harsh, severe) · cy anhyblyg (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · es brutal (colloquial: harsh, severe) · cy dur (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · unm chinkalsi (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt sério (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · ru окостене́вший (of muscles, or parts of the body) · bg силен (colloquial: harsh, severe) · es inflexible (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · cy rhyn (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ja 固い (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · pt firme (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt firme (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · ru одеревене́лый (of muscles, or parts of the body) · fi jäykkä (of muscles, or parts of the body) · gl rixo (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ru неги́бкий (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · es tieso (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · nl stijf (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt rijo (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ru чо́порный (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · pdt stiew (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · nb stiv (erect, of a penis) · ja 堅い (colloquial: harsh, severe) · it rigido (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · pt rígido (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · ga stalcánta (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · nl rigide (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · gd rag (of muscles, or parts of the body) · fr raide (erect, of a penis) · bg твърд (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · pt duro (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt severo (colloquial: harsh, severe) · sv stel (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · ja 凝る (of muscles, or parts of the body) · ru твёрдый (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · pl srogi (colloquial: harsh, severe) · mi taui (of muscles, or parts of the body) · nl stijf (of muscles, or parts of the body) · es rígido (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · ru кре́пкий (potent) · nl stevig (colloquial: harsh, severe) · it inflessibile (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · fr rigide (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · nb stiv (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · pt rijo (of muscles, or parts of the body) · fr raide (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · nl stug (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · vo stifik (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · cmn 不屈 (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · nb stiv (of muscles, or parts of the body) · pl surowy (colloquial: harsh, severe) · mi koio (of muscles, or parts of the body) · dsb pšosty (of muscles, or parts of the body) · it severo (colloquial: harsh, severe) · lv stings (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · cy anhyblyg (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · pt inflexível (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · fi kova (colloquial: harsh, severe) · scn tisa (erect, of a penis) · bg схванат (of muscles, or parts of the body) · es severo (colloquial: harsh, severe) · bg вдървен (of muscles, or parts of the body) · scn duru (colloquial: harsh, severe) · cy rhyn (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · es rígido (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · es adolorido (of muscles, or parts of the body) · mi tora (erect, of a penis) · scn pisanti (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · ru жёсткий (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · nl inflexibel (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · cy anhyblyg (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt inflexível (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · bg силен (potent) · fi kankea (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · es rígido (colloquial: harsh, severe) · gd rag (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · sv stel (of muscles, or parts of the body) · ca cerimoniós (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · gl irto (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · cs ztuhlý (of muscles, or parts of the body) · de steif (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · de starr (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · nrf rigide (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ru суро́вый (colloquial: harsh, severe) · as ঠেৰেঙা (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · sv stel (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · fi jäykkä (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · scn duru (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt duro (colloquial: harsh, severe) · cy dur (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · gl teso (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · nb stiv (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · dsb pšosty (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · cmn 僵硬 (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · nb hard (colloquial: harsh, severe) · fr raide (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · km រឹង (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pt hirto (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · sv oböjlig (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · es dolorido (of muscles, or parts of the body) · scn tisu (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · fi vahva (potent) · ru холо́дный (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · ne कठोर (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · dsb pšosty (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · fi jäykkä (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · it rigido (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · pl sztywny (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · as থিৰ (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · es inflexible (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · bg нееластичен (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ca rígid (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · nl stug (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · nn stiv (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · de steif (of muscles, or parts of the body) · cmn 不折 (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ru непрекло́нный (figuratively: of policies and rules and their application and enforcement) · ru сильноде́йствующий (potent) · vi cứng (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · es rígido (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · mi ioio (of muscles, or parts of the body) · hu merev (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · es tieso (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · fr rigide (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · ca encarcarat (of a person, formal in behavior, unrelaxed) · scn tisu (potent) · ne दह्रो (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible) · lv stingrs (of an object, rigid, hard to bend, inflexible)