stiffen
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to become stiff.
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to become suddenly tense, rigid, or taut, as in bracing oneself for or drawing back from shock, fear, or displeasure.
He stiffened, expecting to hear the worst.
verb
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to make or become stiff or stiffer
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(intr) to become suddenly tense or unyielding
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stiffen
Explanation
To stiffen is to become stiff or unbending. If your legs stiffen during a long plane flight, you'll want to stretch them out once you land. You can stiffen something deliberately, like when you stiffen a package with cardboard to protect it in the mail. You can also stiffen in reaction to something: "The spooky creaking sounds upstairs made us stiffen in terror." The earliest sense of this verb was "make steadfast," from a now-obsolete meaning of stiff, "gain strength."
Vocabulary lists containing stiffen
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I saw Henry V. He knew how to make a speech: "Then imitate the action of the tiger;/ Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood."
From Time Magazine Archive
Stiffen with potato flour as in other fruit puddings—a tablespoonful to a quart of the purée—and mould and serve in the same way.
From The Golden Age Cook Book by Dwight, Henrietta Latham
Ere her limbs frigidly Stiffen too rigidly, Decently, kindly, Smooth and compose them; And her eyes, close them, Staring so blindly!
From The Golden Treasury Of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language by Palgrave, Francis Turner
Stiffen by pasting them on cardboard; then cut out the men, dogs, and sled more carefully in detail.
From Little Folks' Handy Book by Beard, Adelia B. (Adelia Belle)
Stiffen with flour and knead about 25 minutes; place the dough in a covered bowl in a warm place to rise about two hours and when well-risen and light, knead and stand one hour.
From Mary at the Farm and Book of Recipes Compiled during Her Visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans" by Thomas, Edith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
