I believe it comes from a trait seen in oxen. They can be stubborn. When they did not want to be harnessed they made their neck go stiff in a way that prevented the harness from being properly put around their neck.
Stiff Necked Fools was created in 1980.
Their Fathers
Only in the sense of being unbending just as the yolk which was a stiff piece of timber used over the necks of the oxen to tie them together was stiff and hard. In this sense a stiff-necked person, which is what the illustration refers to, would be stubborn and unbending and unwilling to be told things.
inflexible,unyielding, unalterable, obstinate, stubborn, pigheaded, adamant, immovable, stiff-necked, unyielding, implacable, mulish, unbending close-minded,unreceptive, stiff-boned
A zhongruan is a plucked long-necked lute-like string instrument of Chinese origin, with four strings and twenty-four frets.
The term originated in ancient Israel. The farmers would plow their fields by using oxen. If the ox didn't want to follow the guidance of the farmer it would stiffen the muscles in its neck. This would make it impossible to guide the ox where it needed to go. When one is described as "stiff-necked" in the scriptures it means that they refuse to follow the guidance of the Lord.
Whether in the Hebrew of the Old Testament (as in Exodus 32:9) or the Greek of the New (as in Acts 7:51), the figurative meaning of "stiff-necked" is "stubborn, obstinate, headstrong."
"Scared stiff" is an idiom that refers to being completely frozen with fear. It's origin is not known, but it has been in use since at least 1900 a. d. .
Many people are considered "stiff-necked," a term often used to describe stubbornness or resistance to change, due to a combination of cultural, psychological, and social factors. This attitude can stem from deeply ingrained beliefs, fear of the unknown, or a desire to maintain control in uncertain situations. Additionally, societal influences, such as peer pressure and tradition, can reinforce rigid thinking. Ultimately, it reflects a complex interplay of individual personality traits and external circumstances.
This is not a saying - it's a simile. Something is as stiff as a board, which is a stiff piece of wood. It's just a description. The term "stiff as a board" is used in many country's (in particular UK) to describe a person suffering aches and pains. Normally associated with muscular pain especially after periods of heavy work such as lifting and carrying.
The word necked has one syllable.
a fril necked lizard is a reptile