verb
- past tense of stiffen; made or became rigid, firm, or less flexible
- past tense of stiffen; made or became more severe, strict, or determined
adjective
- made rigid or firm; reinforced with stiffening material
Examples
- The cold wind stiffened her fingers.
- He stiffened his resolve to finish the project.
- The fabric was stiffened with interfacing.
- Security measures were stiffened after the incident.
- Her back stiffened when she heard the criticism.
- The stiffened collar gave the shirt a formal appearance.
- The mixture stiffened as it cooled.