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Webster 1913 Edition

Stiff

Stiff

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Stiffer
;
sup
erl.
Stiffest
.]
[OE.
stif
, AS.
stīf
; akin to D.
stijf
, G.
steif
, Dan.
stiv
, Sw.
styf
, Icel.
stīfr
, 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 aerial 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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Stiff

STIFF

,
Adj.
[Gr.]
1.
Not easily bent; not flexible or pliant; not flaccid; rigid; applicable to any substance; as stiff wood; stiff paper; cloth stiff with starch; a limb stiff with frost.
They, rising on stiff pinions, tower the mid aerial sky.
2.
Not liquid or fluid; thick and tenacious; inspissated; not soft nor hard. Thus melted metals grow stiff as they cool; they are stiff before they are hard. The paste is too stiff, or not stiff enough.
3.
Strong; violent; impetuous in motion; as in seamens language, a stiff gale or breeze.
4.
Hardy; stubborn; not easily subdued.
How stiff is my vile sense!
5.
Obstinate; pertinacious; firm in perseverance or resistance.
It is a shame to stand stiff in a foolish argument.
A war ensues; the Cretans own their cause, stiff to defend their hospitable laws.
6.
Harsh; formal; constrained; not natural and easy; as a stiff formal style.
7.
Formal in manner; constrained; affected; starched; not easy or natural; as stiff behavior.
The French are open, familiar and talkative; the Italians stiff, ceremonious and reserved.
8.
Strongly maintained, or asserted with good evidence.
This is stiff news.
9.
In seamens language, a stiff vessel is one that will bear sufficient sail without danger of oversetting.

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