stiff movement

[/stɪf ˈmuːvmənt/]
nounpl: stiff movements
movimento rígido
1. a slow, awkward physical motion characterized by lack of flexibility or fluidity, often due to pain, injury, age, or lack of practice
After sitting all day, he walked with stiff movements.
Depois de ficar sentado o dia todo, ele andava com movimentos rígidos.
2. formal or constrained bodily gestures that lack natural ease or grace
The robot's stiff movements made it easy to identify as artificial.
Os movimentos rígidos do robô o tornavam fácil de identificar como artificial.
3. physical movements that appear tense or uncomfortable
She made stiff movements as she recovered from surgery.
Ela fazia movimentos rígidos enquanto se recuperava da cirurgia.
This phrase is commonly used in medical, physical therapy, and fitness contexts in both American and Brazilian English/Portuguese. In Brazil, it's frequently heard in healthcare settings and among older populations discussing mobility issues. The term can carry connotations of aging, injury, or formality depending on context.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
rigid movementjerky movementawkward movementwooden movementconstrained movement
Antonyms / Antônimos
fluid movementgraceful movementsmooth movementflexible movementnatural movement

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
movimento rígido
standard term used across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
movimento travado
colloquial alternative meaning 'locked movement'
São Paulo
movimento sem graça
informal, literally 'ungraceful movement'
Portugal
movimento enrijecido
more formal Portuguese variant

Related Words

rigiditystiffnessinflexibilitymobilityflexibilitykinetics

Related Idioms & Phrases

move like a robot
move stiffly
stiff as a board
lose one's flexibility
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