/ stɪf; NAmE / adjective , adverb , noun , verb
■ adjective
( stiff·er , stiff·est )
DIFFICULT TO BEND / MOVE
1.
firm and difficult to bend or move :
stiff cardboard
a stiff brush
The windows were stiff and she couldn't get them open.
MUSCLES
2.
when a person is stiff , their muscles hurt when they move them :
I'm really stiff after that bike ride yesterday.
I've got a stiff neck .
MIXTURE
3.
thick and almost solid; difficult to stir :
Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
DIFFICULT / SEVERE
4.
more difficult or severe than usual :
It was a stiff climb to the top of the hill.
The company faces stiff competition from its rivals.
The new proposals have met with stiff opposition .
There are stiff fines for breaking the rules.
a stiff breeze / wind (= one that blows strongly)
NOT FRIENDLY
5.
( of a person or their behaviour ) not friendly or relaxed :
The speech he made to welcome them was stiff and formal.
PRICE
6.
( informal ) costing a lot or too much :
There's a stiff $15 entrance fee to the exhibition.
ALCOHOLIC DRINK
7.
[ only before noun ] strong; containing a lot of alcohol :
a stiff whisky
► stiff·ly adverb
► stiff·ness noun [ U ]:
pain and stiffness in her legs
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IDIOMS
- (keep) a stiff upper lip
■ adverb
1.
( informal ) very much; to an extreme degree :
be bored / scared / worried stiff
2.
frozen ~ ( of wet material ) very cold and hard because the water has become ice :
The clothes on the washing line were frozen stiff.
I came home from the game frozen stiff (= very cold) .
■ noun
( slang ) the body of a dead person
■ verb
[ vn ] ( NAmE , informal ) to cheat sb or not pay them what you owe them, especially by not leaving any money as a tip
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English stīf , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stijf .