stiff

[[t]stɪf[/t]]

adj. stiff•er, stiff•est, n. adv. v.

1) rigid or firm; difficult or impossible to bend or flex:

a stiff collar[/ex]

2) not moving or working easily

3) (of a person or animal) not supple; moving with difficulty, as from cold, age, etc

4) strong; forceful; powerful:

stiff winds[/ex]

5) strong or potent to the taste or system, as a beverage or medicine

6) resolute; firm in purpose; stubborn

7) stubbornly continued:

a stiff battle[/ex]

8) rigidly formal, as people or manners

9) lacking ease and grace; awkward

10) excessively regular or formal, as a design

11) laborious or difficult, as a task

12) severe or harsh, as a penalty or demand

13) excessive; unusually high or great:

a stiff price[/ex]

14) firm from tension; taut

15) relatively firm in consistency, as semisolid matter; thick

16) dense or compact; not friable:

stiff soil[/ex]

17) naut. navig. (of a vessel) having a high resistance to rolling; stable

(opposed to crank II)

18) sts Slang.

a) a dead body; corpse

b) a formal or priggish person

c) a poor tipper; tightwad

d) a drunk

e) a fellow:

lucky stiff[/ex]

f) a hobo

g) a laborer:

working stiffs[/ex]

19) in or to a firm or rigid state

20) completely, intensely, or extremely:

scared stiff[/ex]

21) sts Slang. to fail to tip or pay (a waiter, worker, etc.)

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Etymology: bef. 1000; OE stīf, c. MD, MLG stīf, ONstīfr; akin to stifle I, steeve I stiff′ish, adj. stiff′ly, adv. stiff′ness, n.