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stiff

adj. · v. · n. · adv.
US //ˈstɪf// UK //stˈɪf// stiff
  1. 1 hard to bend (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    firm and difficult to bend or move.

    physically rigid or inflexible; resistant to bending or deformation.

    Example

    The new leather boots were very stiff and gave him blisters.

    Example

    The canvas had been treated with a heavy glaze, making it so stiff that it was nearly impossible to stretch over the wooden frame.
  2. 2 muscle pain (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Medicine

    feeling pain or difficulty when moving your body, usually after exercise.

    experiencing physical discomfort or reduced range of motion due to lactic acid buildup or minor muscle strain.

    Example

    My legs are really stiff after that long hike yesterday.

    Example

    He woke up with a stiff neck, likely the result of sleeping in an awkward position during the overnight flight.
    • limber
    • supple
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  1. 3 formal behavior (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    acting in a very formal way that is not relaxed or friendly.

    characterised by a lack of ease or spontaneity in social interaction; excessively formal.

    Example

    The conversation was stiff and awkward because they didn't know each other.

    Example

    The host gave a stiff greeting, making it clear that the uninvited guests were not entirely welcome at the private gala.
  2. 4 severe or difficult (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    very difficult, strong, or severe.

    harsh, severe, or requiring great effort; often used to describe competition or penalties.

    Example

    The company faces stiff competition from smaller, faster rivals.

    Example

    The judge handed down a stiff sentence to deter others from committing similar financial crimes.
  3. 5 thick consistency (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

    thick and difficult to stir.

    having a high viscosity or dense consistency; in cooking, refers to mixtures that hold their shape.

    Example

    Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

    Example

    The mixture should be stiff enough to hold a spoon upright before you fold in the remaining dry ingredients.
  4. 6 to not pay or tip (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal American English

    to fail to pay someone what you owe them, or to not leave a tip.

    to cheat someone by failing to pay a bill or by providing an inadequate gratuity.

    Example

    The group left the restaurant and stiffed the waiter on a hundred-dollar bill.

    Example

    It is considered extremely poor etiquette to stiff a server, regardless of the quality of the service provided.

    Usage

    The verb is transitive and takes the person being cheated as the direct object.
  5. 7 a dead body (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal

    a slang word for a dead person.

    a cadaver or deceased person.

    Example

    The detectives found a stiff in the alleyway behind the theater.

    Example

    The medical examiner joked about the number of stiffs in the morgue, a dark coping mechanism common in the profession.

    Teacher's tip

    This term is very informal and can be seen as disrespectful; use 'body' or 'deceased' in serious contexts.
  6. 8 an ordinary person (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Slang American English

    an ordinary person who works a boring job.

    a person of no particular distinction, often used in the phrase 'working stiff'.

    Example

    He’s just a lucky stiff who won the lottery.

    Example

    The politician tried to appeal to the average working stiff by visiting factories and diners during the campaign trail.
  7. 9 to a great degree (adv.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    completely or extremely; used with words like 'bored' or 'scared'.

    to an extreme degree; used as an intensifier with specific adjectives like 'bored', 'scared', or 'frozen'.

    Example

    I was bored stiff during the three-hour lecture on tax law.

    Example

    The hikers were scared stiff when they realized they were being followed by a mountain lion in the fading light.

    Usage

    Usually follows the adjective it modifies.
Origin

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.

Idioms1 entry

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