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stiffmore about stiff

stiff

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Stiff  \Stiff\,  a.  [Compar.  {Stiffer};  superl.  {Stiffest}.]  [OE. 
  stif,  AS  st[=i]f;  akin  to  D.  stijf,  G.  steif,  Dan.  stiv,  Sw 
  styf,  Icel.  st[=i]fr,  Lith.  stipti  to  be  stiff;  cf  L.  stipes 
  a  post  trunk  of  a  tree,  stipare  to  press,  compress.  Cf 
  {Costive},  {Stifle},  {Stipulate},  {Stive}  to  stuff.] 
  1.  Not  easily  bent;  not  flexible  or  pliant;  not  limber  or 
  flaccid;  rigid;  firm;  as  stiff  wood,  paper,  joints. 
 
  [They]  rising  on  stiff  pennons,  tower  The  mid 
  a["e]rial  sky.  --Milton. 
 
  2.  Not  liquid  or  fluid;  thick  and  tenacious;  inspissated; 
  neither  soft  nor  hard;  as  the  paste  is  stiff. 
 
  3.  Firm;  strong;  violent;  difficult  to  oppose;  as  a  stiff 
  gale  or  breeze. 
 
  4.  Not  easily  subdued;  unyielding;  stubborn;  obstinate; 
  pertinacious;  as  a  stiff  adversary. 
 
  It  is  a  shame  to  stand  stiff  in  a  foolish  argument. 
  --Jer.  Taylor. 
 
  A  war  ensues:  the  Cretans  own  their  cause  Stiff  to 
  defend  their  hospitable  laws.  --Dryden. 
 
  5.  Not  natural  and  easy;  formal;  constrained;  affected; 
  starched;  as  stiff  behavior;  a  stiff  style. 
 
  The  French  are  open  familiar,  and  talkative;  the 
  Italians  stiff,  ceremonious,  and  reserved. 
  --Addison. 
 
  6.  Harsh;  disagreeable;  severe;  hard  to  bear.  [Obs.  or 
  Colloq.]  ``This  is  stiff  news.''  --Shak. 
 
  7.  (Naut.)  Bearing  a  press  of  canvas  without  careening  much 
  as  a  stiff  vessel;  --  opposed  to  {crank}.  --Totten. 
 
  8.  Very  large  strong,  or  costly;  powerful;  as  a  stiff 
  charge;  a  stiff  price.  [Slang] 
 
  {Stiff  neck},  a  condition  of  the  neck  such  that  the  head  can 
  not  be  moved  without  difficulty  and  pain. 
 
  Syn:  Rigid;  inflexible;  strong;  hardly;  stubborn;  obstinate; 
  pertinacious;  harsh;  formal;  constrained;  affected; 
  starched;  rigorous. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  stiff 
  adj  1:  lacking  ease  in  bending;  not  limber;  "a  stiff  neck";  "stiff 
  joints";  "stiff  hairs" 
  2:  not  moving  or  operating  freely;  "a  stiff  hinge" 
  3:  powerful;  "a  stiff  current";  "a  stiff  breeze";  "a  stiff 
  drink" 
  4:  rigidly  formal;  "a  starchy  manner";  "the  letter  was  stiff 
  and  formal";  "his  prose  has  a  buckram  quality"  [syn:  {starchy}, 
  {buckram}] 
  5:  hard  to  overcome  or  surmount;  "a  stiff  hike";  "a  stiff 
  exam";  "an  uphill  battle  against  a  popular  incumbant" 
  [syn:  {uphill}] 
  6:  of  a  collar;  standing  up  rather  than  folded  down  "an 
  uncomfortable  standup  collar";  "a  stiff  collar"  [syn:  {stand-up}] 
  7:  incapable  of  or  resistant  to  bending;  "a  rigid  strip  of 
  metal";  "a  table  made  of  rigid  plastic";  "a  palace 
  guardsman  stiff  as  a  poker"  [syn:  {rigid}] 
  8:  slang  for  `drunk'  [syn:  {besotted},  {blind},  {blind  drunk}, 
  {blotto},  {crocked},  {fuddled},  {loaded},  {pissed},  {pixilated}, 
  {plastered},  {potty},  {slopped},  {sloshed},  {smashed},  {soaked}, 
  {soused},  {sozzled},  {squiffy},  {tiddly},  {tiddley},  {tight}, 
  {tipsy},  {wet}] 
  n  1:  an  ordinary  man;  "a  lucky  stiff";  "a  working  stiff" 
  2:  the  dead  body  of  a  human  being  [syn:  {cadaver},  {corpse},  {clay}, 
  {remains}] 
  adv  1:  extremely;  "bored  stiff";  "frightened  stiff" 
  2:  in  a  stiff  manner;  "his  hands  lay  stiffly"  [syn:  {stiffly}]




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