stiff·en

[stif-uhn]
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

o·ver·stiff·en, verb
un·stiff·ened, adjective
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To stiffen
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World English Dictionary
stiffen (ˈstɪfən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to make or become stiff or stiffer
2.  (intr) to become suddenly tense or unyielding
 
'stiffener
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Stiffen is one of our favorite verbs.
So is fletcherise. Does it mean:
to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.
chat, to converse
Example sentences
Calcium can then build up in the vessels and stiffen them, laying the
  foundation for heart disease.
Cholesterol, which is not found in plant cells, is a type of lipid that helps
  stiffen the membrane.
For example, they're missing a bone found in monkeys and humans, which helps to
  stiffen our feet.
Stiffen the requirements for entry to graduate school.
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