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.)
Defn: 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.
STIFF-BACKED
Stiff"-backed`, a.
Defn: Obstinate. J. H. Newman.
STIFFEN
Stiff"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stiffened; p. pr. & vb. n. Stiffening.]
Etym: [See Stiff.]
1. tiono make stiff; to make less pliant or flexible; as, to stiffen cloth with starch. Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood. Shak.