English主要词典
stiff
Universal Words
adjective, adverb, noun, verb
adjective (stiffer, stiffest)
difficult to bend / move
1 firm and difficult to bend or move:
stiff cardboard * a stiff brush * The windows were stiff and she couldn't get them open. * I've got a stiff neck.
muscles
2 when a person is stiff, their muscles hurt when they move them:
I'm really stiff after that bike ride yesterday.
mixture
3 thick and almost solid; difficult to stir:
Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
difficult / severe
4 more difficult or severe than usual:
It was a stiff climb to the top of the hill. * The company faces stiff competition from its rivals. * The new proposals have met with stiff opposition. * There are stiff fines for breaking the rules. * a stiff breeze / wind (= one that blows strongly)
not friendly
5 (of a person or their behaviour) not friendly or relaxed:
The speech he made to welcome them was stiff and formal.
price
6 (informal) costing a lot or too much:
There's a stiff ｣6 entrance fee to the exhibition.
alcoholic drink
7 [onlybeforenoun] strong; containing a lot of alcohol:
a stiff whisky * 'What you need is a stiff drink,' he told her.
stiffly adverb:
'Thank you,' she replied stiffly. * The key turned stiffly in the lock. * She sat down stiffly on a chair by the wall, aware that they were looking at her.
stiffness noun [U]:
pain and stiffness in her legs * She could tell from his eyes and the stiffness of his voice that she had offended him.
IDIOMS
(keep) a stiff upper lip to keep calm and hide your feelings when you are in pain or in a difficult situation:
He was taught to keep a stiff upper lip and never to cry in public. * Their reaction contrasts sharply with the stiff upper lip of the English.
adverb
1 (informal) very much; to an extreme degree:
be bored / scared / worried stiff
2 frozen ~ (of wet material) very cold and hard because the water has become ice:
The clothes on the washing line were frozen stiff. * I came home from the game frozen stiff (= very cold).
noun (slang) the body of a dead person
verb [VN] (AmE, informal) to cheat sb or not pay them what you owe them, especially by not leaving any money as a TIP
