This is the 12320th most frequent German word.
versteifen
"Versteifen" means "to stiffen" or "to become rigid."
The word 'versteifen' here refers to becoming obstinate or rigid in a non-physical, metaphorical sense, describing a behavioral tendency.
Er neigte dazu, sich in Diskussionen zu versteifen.
He tended to become obstinate in discussions.
Here, 'versteifen' describes a physical action of becoming stiff or rigid, specifically regarding his body posture.
Während des Vortrags hat er sich in seiner Haltung versteift.
During the lecture, he stiffened his posture.
In this sentence, 'versteifen' is used literally to describe a physical stiffening of material under certain conditions like low temperature.