stickleback 
5944 
toJJiejiumber^ofjiearlyJO species^ The common two. or Sticta (stik'ta), 11. [NL. (Schreber, 1774), < 
Gr. aTiK~6(, spotted, dappled, punctuated, ver- 
bal adj. < or/Cnr, mark with a pointed instru- 
ment, prick: see stigma.'] A large, mostly trop- 
ical, genus of parmeliaceous lichens, of the 
family Peltif/erci. The thallus is frondose-foliaceous. 
variously lobed, but for the most part wide-lobed, and co- 
riaceous or cartilaginous In texture. The apothecia are 
scutelliform, submargin.il, elevated, and blackened ; the 
spores are fusiform and acicular, two- to four-celled, usu- 
ally colorless. There arc about 20 North American species. 
Some of the exotic species, as S. argyracea, are rich in col- 
oring matter. See crotUesV, hazel-crotties, lungwort, 3, oak- 
lungs, TOi/i, 3, and cut under apnthecium. 
Sticteine (stik'te-in), a. [Irreg. < Sticta + -inc.] 
In hot., relating or belonging to the germaStirtii. 
E. Tuckerman, N. A. Lichens, I. 83. 
stictiform (stik'ti-form), . [< NL. Sticta + 
L. forma, form.] In hot., having the form or 
characters of the genus Sticta. 
Stidt, . A Middle English form of stead 
Stiddy 1 (stid'i), w. A dialectal form of stithy. 
James Yorke, a blacksmith of Lincoln, ... is a servant 
as well of Apollo as Vulcan, turning his stiddy into a study. 
Flitter, Worthies, Lincoln, II. 296. 
three-spined stickleback, banstickle, burnstickle, or tit 
tlebat, is O. aculeatus, 4 inches long. Another is the nine- 
or ten-spined, Pyfjosteus pungitius. The fifteen-spined 
stickleback, or 
sea-stickleback, is 
Spinachia vulgaris, 
of the northerly 
coasts of Europe, 
a marine species, 
from 5 to 7 inches 
long, of very slen- 
der elongate form, 
with a tubular 
snout. They arc 
among the most 
characteris tic 
fishes of the north- 
ern hemisphere in 
the colder re- 
gions. Except in 
the breeding-sea- 
son, they live In 
shoals, and are 
sometimes numer- 
ous enough to be- 
come of commer- 
Nest of Stickleback. 
cial value for their oil or for manure. They are noted for 
the construction of elaborate nests which the male builds 
for the eggs, in which several females often or generally 
deposit their burden. The eggs are comparatively few, Stiddy 2 , a. A dialectal form of steady 1 . 
and while being hatched are assiduously guarded by the stiet See sii/1 stu% ?tu3 
male. The local or popular synonyms of the sticklebacks Rtiebel's canal See ea'nnll 
are numerous, among them pnckleback, spricMeliack, xtick- *"'."' OB1 s J-anai. . 
ling, and sharpling. Stieve, StieVCly. bee Steeve 1 , steet'ely. 
sticklebag (stik'1-bag), . A corruption of Stife 1 (stif), a. A dialectal variant of stiff. 
stickleback. I. Walton, Complete Angler, i. 5. stife 2 (stif), . [Cf. stifle, sr 2 .] Suffocating 
Stickle-hairedt (stik'l-hard), a. Having a vapor. Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 
A large open-mouthed chimney or stack, about 45 feet 
high (one for each set), which serves to carry off the smoke 
from the flres, the fumes from the metal, and the stife 
from the grease. 
rough or shaggy coat; rough-haired. 
Those [dogs] that serve for that purpose are stieklt haired, 
and not unlike the Irish grayhounds. 
Sandys, Travailes, p. 60. 
Stickler (stik'ler), n. [An altered form of 
stiteler,*stightler, after stickle for stightle: see 
stickle^, stightle.] If. An attendant on or a 
judge of a contest, as a duel ; a second; hence, 
an arbitrator; a peacemaker. 
The dragon wing of night o'erspreads the earth, 
And, stickler-like, the armies separates. 
Shak., T. and C. , v. 8. 18. 
Buriasso, a stickler or iudge of any combatants, such a 
one as brings into the listes such as shall right a combat, 
or run at tilt. Florin, 1598. 
Hee is a great stickler in the tumults of double lugges, 
and venters his head by his Place, which is broke many 
times to keep whole the peace. 
Bp. Earle, Micro-cosmographie, A Constable. 
2. An obstinate contender about anything, of- 
ten about a thing of little consequence: as, a 
stickler for ceremony; an advocate; apartizan. 
He was one of the delegates (together with Dr. Dale, 
Ac.) for the Tryall of Mary Queen of Scots and was a 
great stickler for the saving of her life. 
Aubrey, Lives (William Aubrey). 
Stickling (stik'ling), w. [Early mod. E. also 
styckelymj; < ME. stikeling, stykeli/nge, steke- 
lyng; < stickle^ + -itigS. Cf. sttcMebaek.] A 
fish : same as stickleback. 
Stickly(stik'li), a. [< sttdMfi + -01.] Prickly; 
rough. Haiti iccll. [Prov. Eng.] 
Stick-play (stik'pla), . Same as 
or single-stick. 
Stick-pot (stik'pot), . A lath-pot for taking 
lobsters: the common form of lobster-trap, 
semicylindrical or rectangular in shape, and 
constructed of laths or of any narrow strips of 
wood. 
Other names by which they are known to the fishermen 
are "box-traps," "house-pots," "stick-pots." and "lath- 
CO P 8 -" Fisheries of If. S., V. ii. 666. 
stickseed (stik'sed), . A plant of the genus 
Eehinospermitm, of the borage family. Thegenns 
consists of rather slender rough weeds whose seeds bear 
on the margin from one to three rows of barbed prickles 
by which they adhere to clothing, etc. E. Virginimm the 
beggar's-lice, is a leading American species. 
sticktail (stik'tal), . The ruddy duck, Eris- 
ntatura rnbina. See cut under Erismatura. J. 
P. Giraud, 1844. [Long Island.] 
sticktight (stik'tit), . A composite weed, 
Bidens frondosa, whose flat achenia bear two 
barbed awns ; also, one of the seeds. The name 
is doubtless applied to other plants with adhe- 
sive seeds. Compare beggar 1 's-ticks, beggar's- 
W. B. Wahl, Galvanoplastlc Manipulations, Ixv. 517. 
and w. [Also dial, stife, stive 
(with diphthong after orig. long vowel) ; < ME. 
stiffen 
Yet oft they quit 
The dunk, and, rising on xtiff pennons tower 
The mild aereal sky. M,/t,,,,, p. L., vii. 441. 
somtytne I was an archere good. 
A styffe and eke a stronge, 
I was committed the best archere 
That was in mery Englomle 
Lytell Gesle ofRobyn Hode (Child's Ballads, V. 120). 
9. Strong: said of an alcoholic drink, or mixed 
drink of which spirit forms a part. 
But, tho' the port surpasses praise, 
My nerves have dealt with Mfftr. 
Tennyson, Will Waterproof. 
10. Firm in resistance or persistence; obsti- 
nate; stubborn; pertinacious. 
A grene hors gret & thikke, 
A stede ful sttfto strayne [guide]. 
Sir Gaicai/nr ami the Green Knight (E. E. T. S.), 1. 173. 
Ther the batayle was stiffest and of more strengthe. 
Joseph of Arimathie (E. E. T. S.), p. 18. 
The boy remained stiff in his denial, and seemed not af- 
fected with the apprehension of death. 
Winthrop, Hist. New England, II. 58. 
11. Hard to receive or accept; hard to bear. 
Labienus 
This is stiff news hath with his Parthian force 
Extended Asia from Euphrates. 
fShak., A. and C., i. 2. 104. 
12. Hard to master or overcome ; very difficult: 
as, a stiff examination in mathematics. 
We now left the carriages, and began a stiff ^ climb to the 
top of the hill. Harper's Mag., LXX VI. 447. 
13. Naut., bearing a press of canvas or of 
wind without careening much ; tending to keep 
upright : as, a stiff vessel ; a stiff keel : opposed 
to crank. 
It continued a growing storm all the day, and towards 
night so much wind as we bore no more sail but so much 
as should keep the ship ft iff. 
Winthrop, Hist. New England, I. 17. 
14. High; steep: as, a stiff price. [Slang.] 
15. Unyielding; firm: said of prices, markets, 
etc.: as, the wheat -market is stiff. [Commer- 
cial slang.] 16. Rigid as in death; dead. 
[Slang.]_A stiff neck. See rwwJ-.-To keep a stiff 
upper lip. See lip. = Syn. 1. Unbending, unyielding. 6. 
Priin, punctilious. 10. Inflexible, uncompromising. 
II. n. 1. A dead body; a corpse. [Slang.] 
They piled the stiffs outside the door 
They made, I reckon, a cord or more. 
John Hay, Mystery of Gilgal. 
2. In hatting, a stiffener. 3. Negotiable pa- 
= MHG. stif (appar. < MLG.), G. steif= Dan. 
stiv = Sw. styf = Norw. stiv (Icel. "stifr (Web- 
ster), not found, styfr (Haldorsen), prob., like 
the other Scand. forms, of LG. origin) ; Teut. 
/ stif, stif; akin to Lith. stipnis, strong, gtipti, 
be stiff, L. stipes, a stem (see stipe). Cf. stifle^.] 
I. a. 1. Rigid ; not easily bent ; not flexible or 
pliant ; not flaccid : as, stiff paper; a cravat stiff 
with starch. 
Arttfspere. King Alisaunder, 1. 2745. P er - [Commercial slang.] 4. Forged paper. 
[Thieves' slang.]- To do a bit of stiff, to accept 
, .. . . v,,, [siang.] 
Oh God, my heart ! she is cold, cold, and stiff too, 
fltiffm a stake; she's dead ! 
Fletcher, Double Marriage, v. 2. 
Hark .' that rustle of a dress, 
Stiff with lavish costliness! 
Lowell, The Ghost-Seer. 
2. Not fluid; thick and tenacious; neither soft l SL ( !l?2j* 
nor hard: as, a stiff batter; stiff cUy. 
I grow stiff, as cooling metals do. 
Dryden, Indian Emperor, v. 2. 
3. Drawn tight; tense: as, a stiff cord. 
Then the two men which did hold the end of the line 
still standing there, began to draw, & drew til they had 
drawn the ends of the line sliffe, & together. 
Pnnhtu, Pilgrimage, p. 433. 
Keep a stiff rein, and move but gently on ; 
The coursers of themselves will run too fast. 
Addison, tr. of Ovid's Metamorph., II. 
4. Not easily bent ; not to be moved without 
great friction or exertion ; not working smoothly 
or easily. 
As he [Rip Van Winkle] rose to walk, he found himself 
stiff In the joints. Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 5B. 
The plugs were stiff, and water could not be got. 
Mrs. Qaskell, Mary Barton, v. 
5. Not natural and easy in movement; not flow- 
ing or graceful; cramped; constrained: as, a 
Stiff style of writing or speaking. 
And his address, if not quite French In ease 
Not English stiff, but frank, and forni'd to please. 
Cowper, Tirocinium, L 671. 
Our hard, (ft/ lines of life with her 
Are flowing curves of beauty. 
Whittier, Among the Hills. 
6. Rigidly ceremonious; formal in manner; con- 
strained; affected; unbending; starched: as, a 
Sticky 1 (stik'i), o. [< sticks + -yl.] 1. Having sti ff deportment, 
the property of adhering to a surface ; inclining 
to stick; adhesive; viscous; viscid; glutinous; 
tenacious. 2. Humid; producing stickiness; 
muggy : as, a disagreeable, sticky day. [Collon 1 ? Strong and steady in motion : as. a stiff 
H/lr*T^ fo*-iL.';\ r/ ,,j.-~7.o , i -,-.., ^ J rnv>*7*i 
This kind of good manners was perhaps carried to an 
excess, so as to make conversation too stiff, formal and 
precise. Addism, Spectator, No. 119. 
sticky 2 (stik'i), .. 
stick; stiff. 
[< sticks + -,/l.] Like a 
But herbs draw a weak juyce, and have a soft stalk- 
d therefore those amongst them which last longest are 
rbs of strong smell, and with a sticky stalk. 
and th 
herbs 
. 
Bacon, Nat. Hist , 8 583. 
breeze. 
And, like a field of standing corn that 's mov'd 
With a stiff gale, their heads how all one way. 
Bfou. and Fl., Philaster, Hi. 1. 
8. Strong; lusty; stanch, both physically and 
mentally. [Now provincial only.]' 
or discount a bill. 
How are the Three per Cents, you little beggar? I wish 
you d do me o bit of stiff; and just tell your father, if I 
may overdraw my account, I'll vote with him. 
Thackeray, Newcomes, vi. 
i. [< ME. stiffen, stiffen, a later 
form ofstiren, early ME. 'stifien, < AS. stifian or 
stifian, be stiff, < stif, stif, stiff: see stiff, a., and 
cf. stive 1 , the older form of the verb.] To be- 
come or grow stiff. ( ) To become upright or strong. 
As sone as they [chicks] styffe and that they steppe knnne. 
Than cometh and crieth her owen kynde dame. 
Richard the Redelesi, ill. 54. 
(b) To become obstinate or stubborn. 
But Dido affrighted sttft also in her obstinat onset. 
Stanihiirst, ! :u. M |v. 
stiff-borne (stif'born), a. Carried on with un- 
yielding constancy or perseverance. 
The stiff-borne action. />'//*-., 2 Hen. IV., i. 1. 177. 
stiffen (stif 'n), v. [= Sw. styfa = Dan. stime; 
as stiff + -ei.] I. intranx. To become stiff. 
(o) To become less flexible or pliant ; become rigid. 
With chatt'ring teeth he stands, and stiff "ning hair 
And looks a bloodless image of despair f 
Pope, Iliad, xiii. 364. 
In this neighbourhood I have frequently heard it said 
that If a corpse does not stiffen within a reasonable time 
it is a sign of another death in the family. 
X. and Q., 7th ser., X. 114. 
(ft) To become less soft or fluid ; grow thicker or harder ; 
become inspissated : as, jellies stiffen as they cool. 
The tender soil then stifning by degrees. Dryden. 
(c) To become steady and strong : as, a stiffening breeze. 
(d) To become unyielding ; grow rigid, obstinate, or for- 
mal. 
Sir Aylmer Aylmer slowly stiffening spoke: 
"The girl and boy, Sir, know their differences !" 
Tennyson, Aylmer's Field. 
(e) To become higher in price ; become firmer or more un- 
yielding : as, the market stiffens. [Commercial slang.) 
II. trim*. To make stiff, (a) To make less pliant 
or flexible. 
From his saddle heavily down-leapt, 
Stiffened, as one who not for long has slept. 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, III. 259. 
(ft) To make rigid, constrained, formal, or habitual. 
I pity kings, whom Worship waits upon, . . 
Whom Education stiffens into state. 
Coirper, Table Talk. 1. 126. 
