stiff

comparative stiffer · superlative stiffest

1. Rigid; hard to bend; inflexible.

   You have discovered the corpse of Captain Willem of the MSV Majesty. His stiff fingers are wrapped tightly around a small datapad.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Xawin

   1 more example

   “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

   1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC

   Synonyms: firm, stark

2. figurativelyInflexible; rigid.
3. Formal in behavior; unrelaxed.
4. colloquialHarsh, severe.

   He was eventually caught, and given a stiff fine.

   2 more examples

   “Yes. I believe she has passed quite a stiff exam.”

   1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 124

   To fit them for heavy loads on gradients as stiff as 1 in 45 in tropical conditions, these Class 90 diesels embody several unusual features, [...].

   1961 February, “New English Electric diesels for East Africa”, in Trains Illustrated, page 90

   Synonyms: brutal, heavy

5. Painful or more rigid than usual as a result of excessive or unaccustomed exercise.

   My legs are stiff after climbing that hill yesterday.

6. Potent.

   a stiff drink; a stiff dose; a stiff breeze

   2 more examples

   [Badminton] was popular in India because of the climate, where it was played outdoors, but in England the stiff breezes made it impossible to play without heavily loaded shuttlecocks.

   1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 134

   In the end, perhaps these deflections are easier than confronting the reality and debunking some of the less helpful stories a certain section of England likes to tell about itself. Much easier to just order another stiff one, and raise the old toast: “My country, right or wrong!”

   2023 July 4, Marina Hyde, “Who’s for political Bazball with Rishi? Voters? Tories? Anyone?”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: powerful, strong

7. informalExpensive, pricey.

   He had the practised face of a dealer also. But he was a Jew and chaffering was in his blood, and he said, "A bit stiff, isn't it? I mean without a guarantee that it's by the original maker?"

   1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 158

8. informalDead, deceased.

   Synonyms: departed, no more, asleep, at rest, blessed, cadaverous, clay-cold, deceased

9. slangErect.

   1 more example

   Adieu! faint-hearted instrument of lust; / That falselie hath betrayde our equale trust. / Hence-forth no more will I implore thine ayde, / Or thee, or man of cowardize upbrayde. / My little dilldo shall suply their kinde: / A knaue, that moues as light as leaues by winde; / That bendeth not, nor fouldeth anie deale, / But stands as stiff as he were made of steele; / And playes at peacock twixt my leggs right blythe, / And doeth my tickling swage with manie a sighe. / For, by saint Runnion! he'le refresh me well; / And neuer make my tender bellie swell.

   c. 1592–1593 (date written), Thomas Nash[e], “The Choosing of Valentines”, in John S[tephen] Farmer, editor, The Choise of Valentines: Or The Merie Ballad of Nash His Dildo […], London: Privately printed for subscribers only, published 1899, →OCLC, pages 18–19, lines 233–244

   Synonyms: hard, tumescent

10. Having a dense consistency; thick; (by extension) Difficult to stir.

    Adding too much peanut butter to your Peanut Sauce recipe may cause your sauce to turn out too stiff.

    Synonyms: gooey, thickflowing, lentous, glutinous, gooey, slabby, syrupy, thick

11. cookingBeaten until so aerated that they stand up straight on their own.

    beat the egg whites until they are stiff

12. mathematicsOf an equation, for which certain numerical solving methods are numerically unstable, unless the step size is taken to be extremely small.
13. nauticalKeeping upright.
14. golfOf a shot, landing so close to the flagstick that it should be very easy to sink the ball with the next shot.

    I go all out, go for the long ball, the stiff shots to the pin, aim for the back of the cup.

    1968, William Price Fox, Southern Fried Plus Six: Short Works of Fiction, page 219

15. governmentDelivered more forcefully than needed, whether intentionally or accidentally, thus causing legitimate pain to the opponent.

plural stiffs

1. CanadaUScountableslanguncountableAn average person, usually male, of no particular distinction, skill, or education.

   working stiff

   1 more example

   The clerk shrugged: “That's the boss's little girl.” “Why, the lucky stiff!” said Keating. “He's been holding out on me.” “You misunderstood me,” the clerk said coldly. “It's his daughter. It's Dominique Francon.”

   1943, Ayn Rand, chapter IX, in The Fountainhead

2. countableslanguncountableA person who is deceived, as a mark or pigeon in a swindle.

   She convinced the stiff to go to her hotel room, where her henchman was waiting to rob him.

3. countableslanguncountableA cadaver; a dead person.

   This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late parrot! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed it to the perch it would be pushing up the daisies!

   1969 December 7, Monty Python, “Full Frontal Nudity, Dead Parrot sketch”, in Monty Python's Flying Circus, spoken by Mr Praline (John Cleese)

   Synonyms: anatomy, body, cadaver, carcass, carrion, corpse, corse, DB

4. countableslanguncountableA flop; a commercial failure.

   They never did sell any records. I don't mean they didn't sell 100,000. I mean they didn't sell 5000. Total. National. Coast-to-coast. The record was a stiff.

   2016, Ralph J. Gleason, Toby Gleason, Music in the Air: The Selected Writings of Ralph J. Gleason

   1 more example

   If the movie was a stiff it wasn't any of their specific faults. They were all in it together and they were jobbed in and jobbed out for two weeks and gone and they got a pile of money for their efforts.

   1994, Andy Dougan, The actors' director: Richard Attenborough behind the camera, page 63

5. UScountableslanguncountableA person who leaves (especially a restaurant) without paying the bill.
6. USbroadlycountableslanguncountableA customer who does not leave a tip.
7. countableuncountableblackjackAny hard hand where it is possible to exceed 21 by drawing an additional card.
8. countableslanguncountablebusinessNegotiable instruments, possibly forged.
9. countableslanguncountableA note or letter surreptitiously sent by an inmate.

present singular third person stiffs · participle present stiffing · participle past stiffed · past stiffed

1. To fail to pay that which one owes (implicitly or explicitly) to another, especially by departing hastily.

   He stiffed me on the tip.

   2 more examples

   Realizing he had forgotten his wallet, he stiffed the taxi driver when the cab stopped for a red light.

   We asked one girl to explain how she felt when she was "stiffed." She said, You think of all the work you've done and how you've tried to please [them…].

   1946, William Foote Whyte, Industry and Society, page 129

2. To cheat someone.

   You see, poor Nonie really was stiffed by Adolph in his will. He really stiffed her, Rose, and I really wanted to right that wrong.

   1992, Stephen Birmingham, Shades of Fortune, page 451

   1 more example

   The Donald moved on to how he had spent £100m on expensive plywood while renovating the golf club. The Scottish tradesmen must have seen him coming. It looks like Trump has been stiffed. So much for the art of the deal.

   2025 July 28, John Crace, “Sidekick Starmer can’t get a word in as The Donald dominates world’s most one-sided double act”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

3. To tip ungenerously.

   Then he stiffed the waiter with a cheap tip.

   2007, Mary Higgins Clark, I Heard That Song Before, page 154

4. slangTo kill.

   But you know it could be a hassle / Trying to explain myself to a police officer / About how it was your old lady got herself stiffed

   1978, Lou Reed, “Street Hassle”, in Street Hassle

5. informalTo be unsuccessful.

   "Come To Me" moved but a few to buy a copy; "My Queen" stiffed in the stall.

   1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 18

comparative more stiff · superlative most stiff

1. nauticalOf the wind, with great force; strongly.

   At about 11.30 am it rained tremendously and blew very stiff.

   1871 September 16, W.A. Crowther, Diary

   2 more examples

   At Feversham was a very High Tide in the Afternoon, tho' the Wind was Southerly, and blew very stiff, which the Seamen there wondered at.

   1731, John Lowthorp, Philosophical Transactions and Collections to the End of the Year MDCC, 4th edition, volume II, page 282

   It soon blew stiff, & we scudded before it under double-reefed topsails, & mainsail hauled up.

   1849 October 23, Herman Melville, edited by Howard C. Horsforth and Lynn Horth, The Writings of Herman Melville: Journals, volume 15, published 1989, page 9

2. datedslangVery thoroughly.

   Now I want you to take Vallett in hand and drill him stiff with everything that has to do with Tilehurst and Tapsfield.

   1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London

plural Stiffs

1. A surname.