I need a stiff piece of cardboard.
He had on stiff leather shoes.
If the dough is stiff, add more sour cream.
a stiff neck
The hinges on this door are really stiff.
My knee feels stiff this morning.
She tried to sit up straight and quickly reali[z]ed all her mus[c]les were stiff from non-activity. (First Certificate in English; B2; French)
He was always very stiff with us.
In spite of his often stiff attitude, Mr. Stevens' very detailed description of their contact in the past and his eagerness to visit Miss Kenton in 1956 show that he does have strong feelings for her, even though he still hides this behind the eternal argument of "a need for contact of a purely professional character." (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Dutch)
I thought he could use a stiff drink after that car almost hit him.
Then, she prepared herself a stiff drink: gin and tonic with some ice, the very same one she used to have when Jack was there. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Spanish)
stiff competition/opposition
We need stiffer penalties for drunk driving.
Furthermore, these budget airlines have given stiff competition to bigger airlines by reducing airfares. (International English Language Testing System; C2; Hindi)
I pretended to listen, but I was bored stiff.
Squeaky noises coming out from the deep corners of my house frightened me. I [was] scared stiff. (First Certificate in English; B2; Polish)
