Definition of: stiff

(stif) adjective
1. Resisting the action of a bending force; not flaccid, limp, pliant, or flexible; rigid.
2. Not easily moved; acting with difficulty or friction.
3. Not natural, graceful, or easy; constrained and awkward; formal.
4. Not liquid or fluid; thick; viscous.
5. Taut; tightly drawn.
6. Having a strong, steady movement: a stiff breeze.
7. Firm in resistance; obstinate; stubborn.
8. Difficult to achieve, understand, or accept; harsh; severe: a stiff penalty.
9. High; dear: a stiff price.
10. Firm in prices; strong and steady: a stiff market.
11. Naut. Heeling over but little, while carrying much sail; not crank: a stiff ship.
12. Scot. & Brit. Dial. Lusty; strong; sturdy.
13. Dense; not porous, as soil.
14. Strong; potent: a stiff drink.
15. Difficult; arduous: a stiff climb.
16. Obs. Formidable; serious: said of news. See synonyms under INFLEXIBLE, SEVERE.
—noun Slang
1. A corpse.
2. An awkward or unresponsive person; especially, a bore.
3. A man; fellow: working stiff; also, a roughneck.
4. A hobo.
5. An accomplice in dishonest dealings; also, a prospective victim. [OE stīf]
—stiff′ly adverb
—stiff′ness noun