stiffen
gb/stˈɪfən/ us/stˈɪfən/
B2
Anglais
megmerevedik, megmerevít, merevít, keményít, feszültté válik, besűrűsödik, besűrít, megerősít, megerősödik, szigorít, emelkedik, kiéleződik, élénkül
VERBE
B2
1
megmerevedik
B2
megmerevít
B2
Schéma d’usage :
[someone/something] stiffens; [someone] stiffens [a body part]
His shoulders stiffened when his name was called.
Megmerevedett a válla, amikor kimondták a nevét.
My fingers stiffen in the cold if I forget my gloves.
Elgémberednek az ujjaim a hidegben, ha otthon felejtem a kesztyűmet.
She stiffened her neck and tried to keep still during the exam.
Exemples pédagogiques
My back stiffened after the long flight.
A hosszú repülőút után megmerevedett a hátam.
He stiffened when he heard a loud noise.
Megmerevedett, amikor hangos zajt hallott.
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "stiffen" when they mean "stiff" (adjective): say "My neck is stiff," not "My neck is stiffen."
Sens
become or make physically stiff
Collocations
stiffen with age
|stiffen with cold
|stiffen with fear
|stiffen suddenly
|stiffen at the sound
|stiffen your neck
|stiffen your back
|muscles stiffen
|joints stiffen
|his body stiffened
Synonymes
tense (Often emphasizes tightening muscles from stress or emotion.)
|
rigidify (More formal and less common; focuses on becoming rigid.)
Antonymes
relax (Become less tense and easier to move.)
|
loosen (Become less tight or rigid.)
Thèmes
body_health
|emotions
|daily_life
Définition
to become stiff, or make something stiff, so it is hard to move
To become stiff and hard to move, or to make a body or body part stiff, often because of cold, fear, age, or injury.
VERBE
B2
2
Schéma d’usage :
stiffen [material/object]
She used spray starch to stiffen the shirt collar.
Keményítősprayt használt, hogy kimerevítse az ing gallérját.
Extra ribs were added to stiffen the plastic lid.
Plusz bordákat adtak hozzá, hogy merevítsék a műanyag fedelet.
The glue will stiffen the paper as it dries.
Exemples pédagogiques
Starch can stiffen fabric.
A keményítő merevebbé teheti az anyagot.
The metal bar stiffens the frame.
A fémrúd merevíti a keretet.
Sens
make material less flexible
Collocations
stiffen fabric
|stiffen paper
|stiffen leather
|stiffen the collar
|stiffen the brim
|stiffen the structure
|stiffen the frame
|stiffen the beam
|stiffen the backing
|stiffen with starch
Synonymes
reinforce (Emphasizes adding strength or support, not just stiffness.)
|
harden (Often implies becoming harder or more solid, sometimes permanently.)
Antonymes
soften (Make less hard or less stiff.)
|
flexibilize (Rare; means make more flexible.)
Thèmes
materials
|clothing
|home
Définition
to make something firmer and not bend easily
To make a material or structure firmer or less flexible, often by adding support or a substance such as starch or resin.
VERBE
C1
3
megmerevedik
B2
Schéma d’usage :
[situation/atmosphere] stiffens; [someone] stiffens [someone/something]
The conversation stiffened when politics came up.
A beszélgetés feszültebbé vált, amikor szóba került a politika.
Her smile stiffened as soon as she saw who was at the door.
A mosolya megmerevedett, amint meglátta, ki áll az ajtóban.
His sarcastic comment stiffened the mood in the room.
Exemples pédagogiques
The room stiffened when the boss arrived.
Feszültté vált a légkör, amikor megérkezett a főnök.
Sens
become more formal or tense
Collocations
the atmosphere stiffened
|the conversation stiffened
|a stiffened smile
|his expression stiffened
|stiffen the mood
|stiffen into silence
|stiffen at the mention of
|stiffen when
|the room stiffened
|relations stiffened
Synonymes
tense (Common; can describe feelings or situations, not only behavior.)
|
freeze (More dramatic; suggests sudden inability to respond naturally.)
Antonymes
ease (Become less tense or less uncomfortable.)
|
relax (Become calm and comfortable.)
Thèmes
emotions
|relationships
|communication
Définition
to become tense and not relaxed
To become, or cause someone to become, less relaxed or friendly; to grow tense, formal, or uncomfortable.
VERBE
C1
4
besűrűsödik
B2
besűrít
B1
Schéma d’usage :
[mixture] stiffens; stiffen [mixture/sauce]
Whisk the egg whites until they stiffen into peaks.
Verd a tojásfehérjét, amíg kemény habot nem kapsz.
Add a little cornstarch to stiffen the sauce.
Adj hozzá egy kevés kukoricakeményítőt, hogy besűrítsd a szószt.
The pudding will stiffen as it cools.
Exemples pédagogiques
The sauce stiffened after a few minutes.
A szósz néhány perc után besűrűsödött.
Sens
thicken or set a mixture
Collocations
egg whites stiffen
|whip until stiffened
|stiffen the sauce
|stiffen the mixture
|stiffen with cornstarch
|stiffen with flour
|stiffen with gelatin
|the custard stiffened
|stiffen the frosting
|stiffen the cream
Synonymes
thicken (Focuses on becoming less liquid; not always firm enough to hold shape.)
|
set (Often used when a mixture becomes firm as it cools or stands.)
Antonymes
thin (Make or become more liquid.)
|
liquefy (Become liquid.)
Thèmes
food_cooking
Définition
to become thick and firm, or make it thick and firm
In cooking, to become thicker or hold its shape, or to make a mixture thicker or firmer.
VERBE
C1
5
megerősít
B1
megerősödik
B1
Schéma d’usage :
stiffen [someone's] resolve; [someone] stiffens
The criticism only stiffened her resolve to succeed.
A bírálat csak megerősítette abban az elhatározásában, hogy sikerrel járjon.
They tried to intimidate him, but it stiffened his determination.
Megpróbálták megfélemlíteni, de ez csak megerősítette az elszántságát.
Public outrage stiffened the government's stance.
Exemples pédagogiques
The loss stiffened their resolve.
A vereség megerősítette az elhatározásukat.
Sens
make more determined or resistant
Collocations
stiffen resolve
|stiffen resistance
|stiffen determination
|stiffen their stance
|stiffen their will
|stiffen opposition
|stiffen morale
|stiffen in response
|stiffen against pressure
|stiffen after criticism
Synonymes
strengthen (More general; not as vivid as stiffen.)
|
steel (Suggests preparing oneself emotionally for something difficult.)
Antonymes
weaken (Make less determined or less strong.)
|
undermine (Gradually reduce confidence or determination.)
Thèmes
emotions
|personal_development
|conflict
Définition
to make someone feel more determined
To make someone more determined, brave, or resistant to pressure, or to become more determined.
VERBE
C1
FORMAL
6
szigorít
B2
Schéma d’usage :
stiffen [rules/penalties/measures/security]
The city plans to stiffen penalties for illegal dumping.
A város azt tervezi, hogy szigorítja az illegális hulladéklerakásért járó büntetéseket.
After the incident, the company stiffened its security procedures.
Az incidens után a cég szigorította a biztonsági eljárásait.
The regulator moved to stiffen enforcement of the new rules.
Exemples pédagogiques
They stiffened the rules at the airport.
Szigorították a szabályokat a repülőtéren.
Sens
make rules or measures stricter
Collocations
stiffen penalties
|stiffen regulations
|stiffen controls
|stiffen security
|stiffen enforcement
|stiffen requirements
|stiffen restrictions
|stiffen border checks
|stiffen sentencing
|stiffen oversight
Synonymes
tighten (Very common for rules and controls; less vivid than stiffen.)
|
toughen (Emphasizes becoming more severe or demanding.)
Antonymes
ease (Make less strict or less severe.)
|
relax (Reduce strictness of rules or controls.)
Thèmes
law
|government
|business
|security
Définition
to make rules stricter and harder
To make rules, penalties, controls, or security measures stricter, harsher, or harder to avoid.
VERBE
C2
BUSINESS
7
Schéma d’usage :
[prices/wages/demand/competition] stiffen
Oil prices stiffened after the supply report.
Az ellátási jelentés után emelkedtek az olajárak.
Competition stiffened as new brands entered the market.
Kiéleződött a verseny, ahogy új márkák léptek be a piacra.
Demand has stiffened in the last quarter.
Sens
become stronger or rise (markets)
Collocations
prices stiffen
|wages stiffen
|demand stiffens
|competition stiffens
|the market stiffened
|stiffen in late trading
|stiffen over time
|stiffen slightly
|stiffen on expectations
|conditions stiffen
Synonymes
firm (Common in market language; means become stronger or higher.)
|
strengthen (General term for becoming stronger; less market-specific.)
Antonymes
weaken (Become less strong or lower in value.)
|
soften (Common market term for falling or losing strength.)
Thèmes
business
|economy
Définition
to become stronger or higher (used about markets)
In business and finance, to become stronger or less weak, especially when prices, demand, or competition increase.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
stiffen
API
GB/stˈɪfən/
US/stˈɪfən/
Syllabes et accentuation
stiffen (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (stiffen)
Formes du mot
Verb
- Base: stiffen
- 3rd Person Singular: stiffens
- Present Participle: stiffening
- Past: stiffened
Expressions
stiffen one's spine
1/stˈɪfən wˈʌnz spˈaɪn/
idiom
become braver and more determined
to make yourself be brave
Exemples
- She stiffened her spine and told them the truth.
- He tried to stiffen his spine before walking into the meeting.
- The coach's speech stiffened the team's spine.
stiffen the upper lip
1/stˈɪfən ðə ˈʌpɚ lˈɪp/
fixed phrase
hide feelings; stay unemotional
to not show your feelings, even when it is hard
Exemples
- He tried to stiffen his upper lip and get through the funeral.
- She told herself to stiffen her upper lip and keep going.
- The phrase 'stiffen the upper lip' is often linked with British culture.
stiffen up
1/stˈɪfən ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
become physically stiff or tense
to become stiff or tense
Exemples
- I always stiffen up if I sit still for too long.
- He stiffened up when the interviewer asked about his last job.
- Her legs stiffened up in the cold wind.
Exemples pédagogiques
- My shoulders stiffen up when I am stressed.
stiffen up
2/stˈɪfən ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
make something firmer or stricter
to make something stronger or stricter
Exemples
- They stiffened up the rules on refunds.
- Add another bracket to stiffen up the shelf.
- The airport stiffened up security after the alert.
Exemples pédagogiques
- We need to stiffen up the safety rules.
stiffen with fear
1/stˈɪfən wˈɪθ fˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
freeze because of fear
to stop moving because you are afraid
Exemples
- He stiffened with fear when he heard footsteps behind him.
- I stiffened with fear as the dog ran toward me.
- She stiffened with fear but tried not to show it.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I stiffened with fear.