How did “stiff” mean cheating someone?
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When someone gets taken advantage of, we would say "he got stiffed", where "stiffed" means "cheated".
What is the etymology of the word "stiff" used this way?
etymology
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
add a comment |
When someone gets taken advantage of, we would say "he got stiffed", where "stiffed" means "cheated".
What is the etymology of the word "stiff" used this way?
etymology
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
add a comment |
When someone gets taken advantage of, we would say "he got stiffed", where "stiffed" means "cheated".
What is the etymology of the word "stiff" used this way?
etymology
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
When someone gets taken advantage of, we would say "he got stiffed", where "stiffed" means "cheated".
What is the etymology of the word "stiff" used this way?
etymology
etymology
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
asked May 22 '14 at 18:18
PacerierPacerier
3,3522774120
3,3522774120
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
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stiff
late 14c., "to make stiff," from stiff (adj.). Meaning "fail to tip" is from 1939, originally among restaurant and hotel workers, probably from stiff (n.), perhaps in slang sense of "corpse" (because dead men pay no tips), or from the "contemptible person" sense. Extended by 1950 to "cheat."
It appears that to cheat is derived in the 50's from its original meaning.
add a comment |
When crimpers went to Shanghai sailors they got paid by the body. When they couldn't get enough drunken men, they would see if there were any fresh bodies in the morgue. They sold the dead bodies to the ships captain in the dark of night as a pasted out man. The captain found out in the morning that he got "stiffed" when he found the stiff body. That is the story I was told.
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
Interesting. Have you any references for this?
– Chenmunka
Sep 10 '15 at 7:36
add a comment |
Getting "stiffed" is an allusion to a woman offering sex to a man, and then, not following through with the completion of the offer. The suggestion of sex causes the man's penis to become erect (stiff) in anticipation. When the woman is then unwilling to engage in sex, which would return the penis to a flaccid state after ejaculation, the penis remains erect or "stiff". Hence, there is the anticipation of something desirable being offered, (sex, a tip, or a fee), and then being withdrawn. Lacking completion of the anticipated act, the allusion is to cause an erection and then deny ejaculation, causing the erection to remain. This is somewhat similar to a tease. Being "stiffed" is the verb which describes the process.
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
Do you have a source for this etymology?
– KillingTime
Apr 4 at 5:15
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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active
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3 Answers
3
active
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active
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stiff
late 14c., "to make stiff," from stiff (adj.). Meaning "fail to tip" is from 1939, originally among restaurant and hotel workers, probably from stiff (n.), perhaps in slang sense of "corpse" (because dead men pay no tips), or from the "contemptible person" sense. Extended by 1950 to "cheat."
It appears that to cheat is derived in the 50's from its original meaning.
add a comment |
stiff
late 14c., "to make stiff," from stiff (adj.). Meaning "fail to tip" is from 1939, originally among restaurant and hotel workers, probably from stiff (n.), perhaps in slang sense of "corpse" (because dead men pay no tips), or from the "contemptible person" sense. Extended by 1950 to "cheat."
It appears that to cheat is derived in the 50's from its original meaning.
add a comment |
stiff
late 14c., "to make stiff," from stiff (adj.). Meaning "fail to tip" is from 1939, originally among restaurant and hotel workers, probably from stiff (n.), perhaps in slang sense of "corpse" (because dead men pay no tips), or from the "contemptible person" sense. Extended by 1950 to "cheat."
It appears that to cheat is derived in the 50's from its original meaning.
stiff
late 14c., "to make stiff," from stiff (adj.). Meaning "fail to tip" is from 1939, originally among restaurant and hotel workers, probably from stiff (n.), perhaps in slang sense of "corpse" (because dead men pay no tips), or from the "contemptible person" sense. Extended by 1950 to "cheat."
It appears that to cheat is derived in the 50's from its original meaning.
edited May 22 '14 at 18:30
answered May 22 '14 at 18:25
user66974
add a comment |
add a comment |
When crimpers went to Shanghai sailors they got paid by the body. When they couldn't get enough drunken men, they would see if there were any fresh bodies in the morgue. They sold the dead bodies to the ships captain in the dark of night as a pasted out man. The captain found out in the morning that he got "stiffed" when he found the stiff body. That is the story I was told.
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
Interesting. Have you any references for this?
– Chenmunka
Sep 10 '15 at 7:36
add a comment |
When crimpers went to Shanghai sailors they got paid by the body. When they couldn't get enough drunken men, they would see if there were any fresh bodies in the morgue. They sold the dead bodies to the ships captain in the dark of night as a pasted out man. The captain found out in the morning that he got "stiffed" when he found the stiff body. That is the story I was told.
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
Interesting. Have you any references for this?
– Chenmunka
Sep 10 '15 at 7:36
add a comment |
When crimpers went to Shanghai sailors they got paid by the body. When they couldn't get enough drunken men, they would see if there were any fresh bodies in the morgue. They sold the dead bodies to the ships captain in the dark of night as a pasted out man. The captain found out in the morning that he got "stiffed" when he found the stiff body. That is the story I was told.
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
When crimpers went to Shanghai sailors they got paid by the body. When they couldn't get enough drunken men, they would see if there were any fresh bodies in the morgue. They sold the dead bodies to the ships captain in the dark of night as a pasted out man. The captain found out in the morning that he got "stiffed" when he found the stiff body. That is the story I was told.
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
answered Sep 10 '15 at 5:33
Laura PedersenLaura Pedersen
1
1
Interesting. Have you any references for this?
– Chenmunka
Sep 10 '15 at 7:36
add a comment |
Interesting. Have you any references for this?
– Chenmunka
Sep 10 '15 at 7:36
Interesting. Have you any references for this?
– Chenmunka
Sep 10 '15 at 7:36
Interesting. Have you any references for this?
– Chenmunka
Sep 10 '15 at 7:36
add a comment |
Getting "stiffed" is an allusion to a woman offering sex to a man, and then, not following through with the completion of the offer. The suggestion of sex causes the man's penis to become erect (stiff) in anticipation. When the woman is then unwilling to engage in sex, which would return the penis to a flaccid state after ejaculation, the penis remains erect or "stiff". Hence, there is the anticipation of something desirable being offered, (sex, a tip, or a fee), and then being withdrawn. Lacking completion of the anticipated act, the allusion is to cause an erection and then deny ejaculation, causing the erection to remain. This is somewhat similar to a tease. Being "stiffed" is the verb which describes the process.
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
Do you have a source for this etymology?
– KillingTime
Apr 4 at 5:15
add a comment |
Getting "stiffed" is an allusion to a woman offering sex to a man, and then, not following through with the completion of the offer. The suggestion of sex causes the man's penis to become erect (stiff) in anticipation. When the woman is then unwilling to engage in sex, which would return the penis to a flaccid state after ejaculation, the penis remains erect or "stiff". Hence, there is the anticipation of something desirable being offered, (sex, a tip, or a fee), and then being withdrawn. Lacking completion of the anticipated act, the allusion is to cause an erection and then deny ejaculation, causing the erection to remain. This is somewhat similar to a tease. Being "stiffed" is the verb which describes the process.
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
Do you have a source for this etymology?
– KillingTime
Apr 4 at 5:15
add a comment |
Getting "stiffed" is an allusion to a woman offering sex to a man, and then, not following through with the completion of the offer. The suggestion of sex causes the man's penis to become erect (stiff) in anticipation. When the woman is then unwilling to engage in sex, which would return the penis to a flaccid state after ejaculation, the penis remains erect or "stiff". Hence, there is the anticipation of something desirable being offered, (sex, a tip, or a fee), and then being withdrawn. Lacking completion of the anticipated act, the allusion is to cause an erection and then deny ejaculation, causing the erection to remain. This is somewhat similar to a tease. Being "stiffed" is the verb which describes the process.
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
Getting "stiffed" is an allusion to a woman offering sex to a man, and then, not following through with the completion of the offer. The suggestion of sex causes the man's penis to become erect (stiff) in anticipation. When the woman is then unwilling to engage in sex, which would return the penis to a flaccid state after ejaculation, the penis remains erect or "stiff". Hence, there is the anticipation of something desirable being offered, (sex, a tip, or a fee), and then being withdrawn. Lacking completion of the anticipated act, the allusion is to cause an erection and then deny ejaculation, causing the erection to remain. This is somewhat similar to a tease. Being "stiffed" is the verb which describes the process.
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
answered Apr 4 at 1:48
SRPSRP
1
1
Do you have a source for this etymology?
– KillingTime
Apr 4 at 5:15
add a comment |
Do you have a source for this etymology?
– KillingTime
Apr 4 at 5:15
Do you have a source for this etymology?
– KillingTime
Apr 4 at 5:15
Do you have a source for this etymology?
– KillingTime
Apr 4 at 5:15
add a comment |
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