Meaning of stiff In English

• 0 firm or hard:

  • stiff cardboard

  • a stiff collar

  • His clothes were stiff with dried mud.

  • This hair spray has made my hair stiff.

  • Mix the powder and water into a stiff paste.

  • The handle on this door is rather stiff.

  • The man's body was (as) stiff as a board when it was found in the snow.

  • Sitting still at a computer terminal all day can give you a stiff neck.

• 1 behaving in a way that is formal and not relaxed:

  • The general is a tall man with steel spectacles and a stiff, pompous manner.

• 2 severe and difficult:

  • The athlete was given a stiff punishment for using drugs.

  • They are campaigning for stiffer penalties for people who drink and drive.

  • There has been stiff opposition/resistance to the proposed tax increases.

  • It's a stiff climb to the top of the hill.

  • Some colleges have stiffer entry requirements than others.

  • Both companies are worried about losing business in the face of stiff competition.

  • A stiff whisky - that's what I need.

  • We had to pay a stiff membership fee to join the health club.

• 3 very much, or to a great degree:

  • I got frozen stiff (= very cold) waiting at the bus stop.

  • I was scared stiff when I heard someone moving around upstairs.

• 4 a person of the type described:

  • a working stiff

  • you lucky stiff

• 5 a dead body:

  • They found a stiff in the river.

• 6 to not pay someone money that you owe them :

  • She stiffed the cab driver.

• 7 firm or hard and not bending or moving easily:

  • He had stiff leather shoes on.

  • If the dough is stiff, add more sour cream.

  • He was unable to turn his head because of a stiff neck.

• 8 not relaxed or friendly; formal:

  • The performance was stiff and rather predictable.

  • You can’t be stiff with a guy who takes you into his confidence.

• 9 severe; difficult to deal with or do:

  • The penalties for corruption are stiff.

  • Most of the team’s losses have come against stiff competition.

• 10 strong or powerful:

  • A stiff wind beat against the house.

• 11 very much; to a great degree:

  • I was scared stiff during the air raids.

• 12 a person of the type described:

  • I’m just a working stiff.

  • You lucky stiff!

• 13 to cheat someone out of money:

  • She stiffed the taxi driver.

• 14 firm, hard, or not easily bent:

  • We use stiff cardboard in all our packaging.

• 15 very strong or difficult to deal with:

  • stiff opposition/resistance/competition There has been stiff opposition to the proposed tax increases.

• 16 very high:

  • a stiff price/penalty/tariff Companies sometimes pay a stiff price for switching CEOs.

  • The minimum investment is a stiff $25,000.

• 17 to fail to pay someone money that you owe them, or to take more money from them than they owe:

  • stiff sb out of sth Many temporary workers have experienced getting stiffed out of their pay.

  • Who doesn't feel stiffed when they've overpaid?