stiff 1 S3 / stɪf / 形容词 ( comparative stiffer , superlative stiffest )

1 body if someone or a part of their body is stiff, their muscles hurt and it is difficult for them to move

stiff from doing something

Her legs were stiff from kneeling.

stiff with

Her fingers were stiff with cold.

stiff neck/back/joint etc

Alastair woke with a stiff neck.

I never felt stiff after training until I was in my thirties.

The next morning I was as stiff as a board (= very stiff ) .

2 material/substance firm, hard, or difficult to bend :

a shirt with a stiff collar

3 mixture a stiff mixture is thick and almost solid, so that it is not easy to mix :

Beat the egg whites until stiff.

a stiff dough

4 difficult difficult to do or deal with :

a stiff test

stiff competition/opposition

Graduates face stiff competition in getting jobs.

5 severe a stiff punishment is great or severe

stiff sentence/penalty/fine

calls for stiffer penalties for rapists

6 door/drawer etc British English difficult to move, turn, or open :

Pull hard – that drawer’s very stiff.

7 unfriendly if someone’s behaviour is stiff, they behave in a very formal or unfriendly way :

Their goodbyes were stiff and formal .

Parsons gave a stiff performance in the main role.

8 price a stiff price etc is high, especially higher than the price etc of similar things :

a stiff tax on cigarettes

9 stiff wind/breeze a fairly strong wind etc

10 stiff drink/whisky etc a very strong alcoholic drink

11 stiff upper lip the ability to stay calm and not show your feelings in a difficult or upsetting situation :

Men were taught to keep a stiff upper lip .

— stiffly 副词

— stiffness 名词 [不可数名词]