The meaning of Stiff

adjective

Causing a person to become unable to walk or move properly.

Usage examples:

A crippling disease

adjective

Causing a severe and almost insuperable problem.

Usage examples:

Interest rates rose to a crippling 13 per cent

verb

Cause severe and disabling damage to; deprive of the ability to function normally.

Usage examples:

Developing countries are crippled by their debts

adjective

(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.

Usage examples:

The nazis destroyed the independence of the press by a series of draconian laws

adjective

(esp. of a rule, law, or punishment) extremely severe

Usage examples:

The governor proposed draconian cuts in state aid to education.

adjective

Likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect; radical and extreme.

Usage examples:

A drastic reduction of staffing levels

adjective

(of a change) severe and sudden; extreme

Usage examples:

In the desert there’s a drastic change in temperature from day to night., our lives changed drastic…

adjective

Severe and sudden, or having very noticeable effects

Usage examples:

He is not under pressure from his own electorate to do anything drastic., a drastic decline/drop/re…

adjective

Having a solid, almost unyielding surface or structure.

Usage examples:

The bed should be reasonably firm, but not too hard

verb

Make more solid or resilient.

Usage examples:

How can i firm up a sagging bustline?

adverb

In a resolute and determined manner.

Usage examples:

The chancellor has held firm to tough economic policies

adjective

Solid, firm, and rigid; not easily broken, bent, or pierced.

Usage examples:

The slate broke on the hard floor

adverb

With a great deal of effort.

Usage examples:

They work hard at school

noun

(of a consonant) pronounced as a velar plosive (as c in cat, g in go ).

adjective

Having become or been made hard or harder.

Usage examples:

Hardened steel

verb

Make or become hard or harder.

Usage examples:

Wait for the glue to harden

adjective

Having developed a way of dealing with bad experiences so that they no longer upset you

Usage examples:

The judge called him a hardened criminal (= one who will not stop his criminal activity).

adjective

Unpleasantly rough or jarring to the senses.

Usage examples:

Drenched in a harsh white neon light

adjective

Unkind or cruel or uncivil

adjective

Unkind or cruel

Usage examples:

Harsh criticism, a harsh winter, harsh lighting

adjective

Of great weight; difficult to lift or move.

Usage examples:

A heavy and bulky load

noun

A thing, such as a vehicle, that is large or heavy of its kind.

Usage examples:

Meanwhile, he is leading the charge at airport to beef up the runway and expand support facilities …

adverb

Heavily.

Usage examples:

Heavy-laden

adjective

(of a substance or material) not elastic.

Usage examples:

A tough, inelastic membrane

adjective

Relating to a situation in which the amount of a product sold or supplied changes very little in relation to the product's price

Usage examples:

Cereal prices are considered "inelastic," meaning that a 10-percent price increase tends to boost s…

adjective

Unwilling to change or compromise.

Usage examples:

Once she had made up her mind, she was inflexible

adjective

Physically and mentally demanding; arduous.

Usage examples:

The band's punishing tour schedule

verb

Inflict a penalty or sanction on (someone) as retribution for an offence, especially a transgression of a legal or moral code.

Usage examples:

I have done wrong and i'm being punished for it

adjective

Extremely difficult or tiring

Usage examples:

A punishing schedule

adjective

Inflicting or intended as punishment.

Usage examples:

He called for punitive measures against the eastern bloc

adjective

Intended as a punishment

Usage examples:

No punitive action was taken against dawkins after he smashed the backboard during warmups.

adjective

Used to describe costs that are so high they are difficult to pay, and that are often used to punish someone or limit their activities

Usage examples:

The president has threatened to impose punitive import duties on a range of foreign goods., punitiv…

adjective

Unable to bend or be forced out of shape; not flexible.

Usage examples:

A seat of rigid orange plastic

noun

A lorry which is not articulated.

adjective

Extremely thorough and careful.

Usage examples:

The rigorous testing of consumer products

adjective

Severe or difficult, esp. because at a high level

Usage examples:

Rigorous standards of accuracy, the manhattan district attorney’s office had a pretty rigorous trai…

adjective

Detailed and careful

Usage examples:

I want rigorous financial analysis of the options., the selection process is extremely rigorous., a…

adjective

(of something bad or undesirable) very great; intense.

Usage examples:

A severe shortage of technicians

adjective

Causing great pain, difficulty, damage, etc.; very serious

Usage examples:

A severe earthquake, the family faced severe challenges when he lost his job., severe criticism

adjective

(of regulations, requirements, or conditions) strict, precise, and exacting.

Usage examples:

Stringent guidelines on air pollution

adjective

Extremely limiting or difficult; severe

Usage examples:

Members of the organization have to be willing to abide by the stringent rules., the city has strin…

adjective

Stringent laws, tests, etc. are extremely severe or limiting and must be obeyed

Usage examples:

Stringent security measures have been introduced at all airports., regulators are forcing issuers t…

adjective

Having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks.

Usage examples:

She cut through the water with her strong arms

adjective

Physically powerful or energetic

Usage examples:

You must be strong to be able to lift all that weight., i feel a little stronger every day., strong…

adjective

An activity or industry that is strong is growing and becoming more successful

Usage examples:

Economic news has been better than expected, with retail sales remaining strong., worldwide sales b…

adjective

Severe or extreme in size, amount, or effect.

Usage examples:

Swingeing cuts in public expenditure

verb

Strike hard; beat.

Usage examples:

Did she not swinge the dragon of ripsnorting inflation?

adjective

Extreme and having a serious and unpleasant effect

Usage examples:

The government is expected to make swingeing cuts.

adjective

(of a person) cold or stubborn towards other people.

Usage examples:

A crusty, ungiving, authoritarian father

adjective

Not malleable; inflexible, unbending, unadaptable.