stiff
/stɪf/
adjective
- Firm, hard, or not easy to bend or move.
- The cardboard was too stiff to fold neatly.
- After the workout, my legs felt stiff and sore.
- She used a stiff brush to scrub the dirt off the floor.
- Severe, strong, or difficult to deal with.
- The company faces stiff competition from new online stores.
- There is a stiff penalty for driving without a license.
- He received a stiff warning from his boss about being late.
- Formal, not relaxed or friendly in manner.
- His stiff bow showed he was nervous meeting the queen.
- The meeting was very stiff, with everyone speaking in a formal tone.
- I found the conversation stiff and uncomfortable.
- Having a thick, heavy consistency; not runny.
- She made a stiff dough for the bread.
- The paint was too stiff to spread easily, so I added a little water.
- Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
verb
- To fail to pay someone money that is owed, such as a tip or a debt.
- He stiffed his roommate on the rent for two months.
- Don't stiff the taxi driver; he worked hard to get you here.
- The customer tried to stiff the waiter by leaving no tip.
- To fail to perform or deliver something promised.
- The contractor stiffed the homeowners and left the job unfinished.
- The band stiffed the audience by not showing up for the concert.
- She promised to help but stiffed us at the last minute.
noun
- A dead body.
- In the old detective story, they found a stiff in the library.
- The coroner examined the stiff for clues.
- He joked that he felt like a stiff after sleeping on the hard floor.
Synonyms
adverb
- Completely or very much (used with 'scare', 'bore', etc.).
- His long speech bored the audience stiff.
- The cold wind chilled us stiff.
- The horror movie scared me stiff.