stif
Middle English
/stiːf/
adj
Definitions
- Stiff, firm, hard; difficult to move or manipulate.
- Strong, fixed, hardy well-built; constructed as to last.
- Having strong resolve; unyielding or strong-minded.
- Daring, audacious, valiant, boastful.
- Having great strength, might or ability; mightful.
- Having great force or potence; forceful.
- Bloody, injurious, wounding; causing injury or challenge.
- (rare) Runny; having a high viscosity.
- (rare) Rough; not smooth to the touch.
Etymology
Inherited from Old English stīf inherited from Proto-Germanic *stīfaz.
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*stīfaz
Gloss
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- stiffly English
- stiffness English
- tiivis Finnish
- *steyp Proto-Indo-European
- *steypós Proto-Indo-European
- *stīfaz Proto-Germanic
- stif Old English
- stīf Old English
- stīþness Old English
- stiff Middle English
- stiffenes Middle English
- stifly Middle English
- stīf Middle High German
- *stīf Old Dutch
- *stīf Old Saxon
- stīf Old Frisian