Stiffen

She felt him stiffen in surprise when he heard the news.

Mennad's body started to stiffen.

Dad used spray starch to stiffen his dress shirts.

The researcher says other factors besides age may affect the rate at which veins stiffen.

Criminal prosecutions of abusers are generally the responsibility of local authorities, but the act stiffened sentences for stalking under federal law.

It followed a sequence of functions: a machine cuts cloth panels to be sewn, the panels are drenched with the polymer and stiffened, a robotic arm uses suction cups to lift each panel and position it in a sewing machine. Finally, the robotic arm lifts the stitched T-shirt off the sewing machine. […] The system could work for most fabrics, with the exception of leather and waterproof materials that can't be drenched with the stiffening polymer. […] Zornow has patents pending in 10 countries for the process to stiffen fabric.

Bewildered by the unexpected greeting, my son stiffened, but managed a polite answer.

He does note that fascia, like most connective tissue in the body, stiffens with age, overuse and injury.