stiff
stiff Lexical Profile
stiff Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Not easily bent, folded, or changed in shape; rigid and inflexible.
"He wore a crisp shirt with a stiff collar to the formal dinner."
Severe, harsh, or difficult to deal with, such as a penalty, price, or competition.
"The company faces stiff competition from emerging technology startups."
Unable to move easily and without pain, typically concerning muscles or joints after exertion or rest.
"Her legs felt stiff and sore the morning after running the marathon."
Not relaxed, friendly, or natural in manner; overly formal or awkward.
"The diplomat gave a stiff, rehearsed bow before entering the conference room."
Strong in alcohol content, or blowing strongly (of a breeze or wind).
"A stiff breeze from the harbor filled the sails and pushed the boat forward."
• adverb
To an extreme or unbearable degree (used colloquially after adjectives like 'bored', 'scared', or 'frozen').
"The teenagers were bored stiff during the three-hour lecture on tax law."
• noun
North American An ordinary, dull, orconventional person, or a person in a specified, often unenviable situation (such as a working stiff or a lucky stiff).
"The new policy was designed to provide tax relief for the average working stiff."
A dead body; a corpse (slang).
"In the classic detective novel, the investigator is called to examine a stiff found at the docks."
• verb
North American To fail to pay a expected tip or bill to someone, or to cheat someone out of money owed (informal).
"The rude customers left the restaurant in a hurry and stiffed the waiter on a hundred-dollar bill."
• Rhymes for stiff
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English stif ('rigid, inflexible, strong'), derived from Proto-Germanic *stifaz and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root *steyp- ('to pack together, compress, or make rigid').