stiff, v.² — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

stiff v.²

[i.e. to treat as a form of stiff n.¹ (5g)]

(orig. US)

1. to lie, to mislead.

1900		E.H. Babbitt ‘College Words and Phrases’ in DN II:i 65: stiff, v. To deceive. [...] To talk rubbish.
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 259: If he tries to stiff ya, you’ll have to turn him over to Danny D.
1977		(con. 1960s) D. Goines Black Gangster (1991) 236: He ain’t stiffin’.
1986		W.D. Ehrhart Passing Time (1988) 61: How was I supposed to know he’d stiff us?
1993		M.B. ‘Chopper’ Read How to Shoot Friends 51: Tony started to suspect he may have been stiffed.
2000		G.V. Higgins At End of Day (2001) 7: Hate to be the guy who stiffs him.

2. (US black) to hang around, to idle (on a corner).

1936		‘Hectic Harlem’ in N.Y. Amsterdam News 8 Feb. section 2: STIFFIN’ – Same as FRUITIN’ [i.e. idling].
1940		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 27 July 20: Johnny Nab lamped me stiffing on the stroll.

3. (also stiff out) to cheat, to swindle, to rob.

1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 211/2: Stiff, v. 1. To pass a bad check.[...] 4. To pay by check which the recipient cannot risk cashing.
1952		W.R. Burnett Little Men, Big World 63: The guy’s name will be on the licence, unless he stiffed it.
1973		M. Scorsese Mean Streets [film script] 62: Just stiffed those kids.
1974		G. Radano Stories Cops Only Tell Each Other 185: If you were chauffeuring him around and you discovered something, Sergeant Lou would claim the lion’s share and slip you a bone. Sometimes he’d stiff you out completely.
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 160: You went to Kathy Janeway’s motel and stiffed her with a ten-spot.
1997		N. Barlay Curvy Lovebox 35: Better count it [...] cos I stiffed you again.
2003		N. Green Angel of Montague Street (2004) 239: Stiff my ex out of her alimony.
2009		L. McIlvanney All the Colours 164: ‘Nobody’s trying to stiff you [...] I just want the rate for the job’.
2012		J. Díaz This Is How You Lose Her 117: Pura had stiffed him almost two months rent.
2012		(con. 1943) G.S. Manson Coorparoo Blues [ebook] ‘[T]here were stabbings by hopheads who’d been stiffed’.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 13: ‘He’s my ex-husband. He stiffed me for three months’ alimony’.
2023		A. Nette Orphan Road 114: ‘There were rumours Mundy was involved in a big heist in Australia, that he’d stiffed his partners on the take’.

4. to fail to tip a waiter, doorman etc. [to become a stiff n.¹ (5c)].

1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 211/2: Stiff, v. [...] 2. To evade payment of an obligation.
1960, 1975		Wentworth & Flexner DAS.
1964		E. Wilson Earl Wilson’s N.Y. 29: Stiffed – What cab drivers and waiters are always getting: nontipped or shamelessly undertipped.
1981		J. Elllroy Brown’s Requiem 63: ‘You usually get twenty bucks for eighteen holes. The ladies stiff you about half the time. Some of the men do, too’.
1988		D. Woodrell Muscle for the Wing 55: Right after stiffin’ the waiter for being such a snot.
2000		F.X. Toole Rope Burns 18: I could tell from the waiter’s face that Hoolie had stiffed him.
2017		D. Winslow The Force [ebook] You never, ever stiff a server.

5. to transmit misleading or lying information.

2001		(con. 1964–8) J. Ellroy Cold Six Thousand 561: We stiff a call through Sonny Liston, who’s allegedly got people out looking for Durfee.
2023		(con. 1962) J. Ellroy Enchanters 118: ‘You will stiff the AG with a second, entirely disingenuous set of reports [...] which will purport to be the ‘real skinny’.

6. to fail, e.g. of a film release.

1979		Austin American-Statesman (TX) 20 Oct. n.p.: The record sold well in Europe but stiffed in America.
1990		Sydney Morn. Herald 1 May 24/9: The book stiffed when it was first released a year ago.
2000		Indep. Mag. 22 Jan. 11: Even if the new album absolutely fookin’ stiffed big-time [...] at least I know we made ONE decent album!

7. (US) to mistreat, to snub, to push aside.

1999		K. Sampson Powder 361: KITS will not play your music again if you stiff them on this.
2009		T. Black Gutted 147: This was more than just a matter of stiffing me to better ingratiate himself with Debs.
2009		P. Temple Truth 195: Lovett tried to stiff me and Vick [...] Hundred grand or he leaves a shitbomb.
2013		K. Sampson Killing Pool 194: The toerag has stiffed me big time.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 208: Stood up, stiffed, dropped dry, and jilted.

stiffing (n.)

robbery, swindling.

1989		M. Amis London Fields 169: Even during his best periods, his purple patches of epiphanic swiping and stiffing [...] Keith never had a good time, financially.
1997		N. Barlay Curvy Lovebox 132: This is what I call a no bullshit stiffing.

stiffin’ and jivin’ (n.) [jive v.¹ (2); note jazz use stiff and jive, to play flashily but with little genuine skill]

(US black) making unreal, empty conversation.

1968		‘Hy Lit’ Hy Lit’s Unbelievable Dict. of Hip Words 38: stiffin’ and jivin’ – Showboating; putting on the sham; showing off.
1983		R. Klein Jailhouse Jargon and Street Sl. [unpub. ms.].

stiff (on) the stroll (v.) (also stiff on the duster) [one stands stiff, i.e. upright + stroll n.]

(US black) to stand on the corner.

1943		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam Star-News 13 Mar. 13: I’m stiffing on the duster a deuce of nods on the backbeat.
1944		D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 12: I’m stiffing the stroll on the flag spot when up pops a fine banana with a cluck stud hanging on her crook. [Ibid.] 59: I’m stiffing on the stroll on the late dark.