Collocations for stiff - adj.
1. difficult to bend/move
VERBS
be, feel, lie, look, sit, stand
She lay stiff and still beside him.
She lay stiff and still beside him.
become, get, go
My trousers were getting stiff with mud. | My fingers had gone stiff with cold.
My trousers were getting stiff with mud. | My fingers had gone stiff with cold.
ADV.
very | a bit, fairly, quite, rather
PREP.
with
The clothes were stiff with dust and grease.
The clothes were stiff with dust and grease.
2. having sore muscles
VERBS
be, feel
He felt stiff all over.
He felt stiff all over.
become, get, go
You''ll get stiff if you don''t have a hot bath.
You''ll get stiff if you don''t have a hot bath.
leave sb, make sb
All that digging made me really stiff.
All that digging made me really stiff.
ADV.
really, very | all
My arm''s gone all stiff.
My arm''s gone all stiff.
a bit, a little, rather
PREP.
from
stiff from kneeling
stiff from kneeling
3. strong/severe
VERBS
be, seem
Their punishment seemed rather stiff.
Their punishment seemed rather stiff.
ADV.
very
in the face of some very stiff competition
in the face of some very stiff competition
a bit, fairly, quite, rather
4. not friendly or relaxed
VERBS
be, look, seem, sound
She was aware that her words sounded stiff.
She was aware that her words sounded stiff.
become
ADV.
very | a bit, a little, rather, slightly, somewhat
His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.
His manner seemed rather stiff and impersonal.