stiff

One entry found for stiff.

Main Entry: ¹stiff
Pronunciation: 'stif
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English stif, from Old English stIf; akin to Middle Dutch stijf stiff, Latin stipare to press together, Greek steibein to tread on
1 a : not easily bent : RIGID <a stiff collar> b : lacking in suppleness or flexibility <stiff muscles> c : impeded in movement -- used of a mechanism <a truck's stiff suspension> d : DRUNK 1a
2 a : FIRM, RESOLUTE b : STUBBORN, UNYIELDING c : PROUD d (1) : marked by reserve or decorum (2) : lacking in ease or grace : STILTED
3 : hard fought : PUGNACIOUS, SHARP <drove a stiff bargain> <stiff competition>
4 a (1) : exerting great force <a stiff wind> (2) : FORCEFUL, VIGOROUS b : POTENT <a stiff dose> <poured her a stiff drink>
5 : of a dense or glutinous consistency : THICK
6 a : HARSH, SEVERE <a stiff penalty> b : ARDUOUS, RUGGED <stiff terrain>
7 : not easily heeled over by an external force (as the wind) <a stiff ship>
8 : EXPENSIVE, STEEP <paid a stiff price>
- stiff·ish /'sti-fish/ adjective
- stiff·ly adverb
- stiff·ness noun
synonyms STIFF, RIGID, INFLEXIBLE mean difficult to bend. STIFF may apply to any degree of this condition <stretching keeps your muscles from becoming stiff>. RIGID applies to something so stiff that it cannot be bent without breaking <a rigid surfboard>. INFLEXIBLE stresses lack of suppleness or pliability <ski boots with inflexible soles>.