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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

stiff·en

Audio Help [stif-uh

n] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object)

1.	to make stiff.

–verb (used without object)

2.	to become stiff.

3.	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.

[Origin: 1490–1500; stiff + -en¹

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
stiffen

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

stiff·en Audio Help (stĭf'ən) Pronunciation Key
tr. & intr.v. stiff·ened, stiff·en·ing, stiff·ens
To make or become stiff or stiffer.

stiff'en·er n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

stiffen
verb
1.	become stiff or stiffer; "He stiffened when he saw his boss enter the room" [ant: loose]
2.	make stiff or stiffer; "Stiffen the cream by adding gelatine" [ant: loose]
3.	restrict; "Tighten the rules"; "stiffen the regulations"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ˈstiffen verb

to make or become stiff(er)
Example: You can stiffen cotton with starch; He stiffened when he heard the unexpected sound.

Arabic:	يَتَصَلَّب
Chinese (Simplified):	变硬，使呆板
Chinese (Traditional):	變硬，使獃板
Czech:	vyztužit; ztuhnout
Danish:	stive; stivne
Dutch:	verstijven
Estonian:	kõvendama, kangestuma
Finnish:	jäykistyä, jäykistää
French:	(se) raidir
German:	(sich ver)steifen
Greek:	σκληραίνω, κοκαλώνω, γίνομαι άκαμπτος
Hungarian:	(meg)merevít
Icelandic:	gera (e-ð) stíft; stífna
Indonesian:	membuat kaku
Italian:	irrigidire, irrigidirsi

Japanese:	こわばらせる
Korean:	…을 굳어지게 하다; 경화하다
Latvian:	iecietināt; sastingt
Lithuanian:	(su)kietinti, standinti, sustingti
Norwegian:	stivne, gjøre stiv, avstive
Polish:	sztywnieć, usztywniać
Portuguese (Brazil):	enrijecer(-se), empertigar(-se)
Portuguese (Portugal):	entesar(-se)
Romanian:	a (se) încorda
Russian:	придавать жёсткость;напрячься
Slovak:	vystužiť; stuhnúť
Slovenian:	otrditi
Spanish:	fortalecer, endurecer, poner rígido
Swedish:	stelna, stelna till
Turkish:	sertleş(tir)mek, kasılmak