stiff-necked en · ADJ
Etymology
From stiff + neck + -ed. (figurative): Calque of Hebrew קשה ערף (Exodus 33). A biblical term similar to Swedish styvnackad, Ancient Greek σκληροτράχηλος (sklērotrákhēlos), Russian жестоковыйный (žestokovyjnyj), German halsstarrig etc.
Meanings
- (literally) Having a stiff neck; suffering from torticollis
-
(figuratively) Stubborn and arrogant.
For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 33:5:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more stiff-necked | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most stiff-necked | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
stiff-neckedness · stiff-neckedly
Translations (21)
nb stivnakket (stubborn) · sv hårdnackad (stubborn) · ru жестоковы́йный (stubborn) · grc σκληροτράχηλος (stubborn) · nb halsstarrig (stubborn) · eo malmolnuka (stubborn) · nn stivnakka (stubborn) · de steifnackig (stubborn) · nn vrangviljug (stubborn) · de hartnäckig (stubborn) · nb urokkelig (stubborn) · ga cruamhuineálach (stubborn) · la contumax (stubborn) · he קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף (stubborn) · nl hardnekkig (stubborn) · bg твърдоглав (stubborn) · sv styvnackad (stubborn) · nn hardnakka (stubborn) · nb hardnakket (stubborn) · ru упря́мый (stubborn) · gd rag-mhuinealach (stubborn)