suffer

[suhf-er] /ˈsʌf ər/
verb (used without object)
1.
to undergo or feel pain or distress:
The patient is still suffering.
2.
to sustain injury, disadvantage, or loss:
One's health suffers from overwork. The business suffers from lack of capital.
3.
to undergo a penalty, as of death:
The traitor was made to suffer on the gallows.
4.
to endure pain, disability, death, etc., patiently or willingly.
verb (used with object)
5.
to undergo, be subjected to, or endure (pain, distress, injury, loss, or anything unpleasant):
to suffer the pangs of conscience.
6.
to undergo or experience (any action, process, or condition):
to suffer change.
7.
to tolerate or allow:
I do not suffer fools gladly.
Origin
1200-50; Middle English suff(e)ren < Latin sufferre, equivalent to suf- suf- + ferre to bear1; compare Old French sofrir < Vulgar Latin *sufferīre
Related forms
sufferable, adjective
sufferableness, noun
sufferably, adverb
sufferer, noun
nonsufferable, adjective
nonsufferableness, noun
nonsufferably, adverb
outsuffer, verb (used with object)
presuffer, verb
unsufferable, adjective
unsufferableness, noun
unsufferably, adverb
Synonyms
5. sustain. 7. stomach, stand, abide.
Examples from the web for suffer
  • People who suffer from fibromyalgia experience problems beyond the pain caused by their illness.
  • Some cases are so severe that employees are forced to change careers and suffer chronic pain.
  • Civil wars are obviously damaging, and not many countries suffer them.
  • The economic temptation is strong: five times more soldiers suffer mental than physical wounds in war.
  • There are actors who suffer nobly, with tragic and stoical reserve.
  • But in this marriage of convenience, both parties suffer.
  • The lessons from other big downturns suggest that migrants will suffer.
  • But if you ski in bounds and suffer from cold hands, you'll happily pay-and forgive the weight.
  • Monkeys suffer the same fate only rarely, but then again they can't sing or dance.
  • Finding could explain why ethnic groups suffer from particular common diseases.
British Dictionary definitions for suffer

suffer

/ˈsʌfə/
verb
1.
to undergo or be subjected to (pain, punishment, etc)
2.
(transitive) to undergo or experience (anything): to suffer a change of management
3.
(intransitive) to be set at a disadvantage: this author suffers in translation
4.
to be prepared to endure (pain, death, etc): he suffers for the cause of freedom
5.
(transitive) (archaic) to permit (someone to do something): suffer the little children to come unto me
6.
suffer from
  1. to be ill with, esp recurrently
  2. to be given to: he suffers from a tendency to exaggerate
Derived Forms
sufferer, noun
Usage note
It is better to avoid using the words suffer and sufferer in relation to chronic illness or disability. They may be considered demeaning and disempowering. Suitable alternative are have, experience, be diagnosed with
Word Origin
C13: from Old French soffrir, from Latin sufferre, from sub- + ferre to bear
Word Origin and History for suffer
v.

early 13c., "to be made to undergo, endure" (pain, death, punishment, judgment, grief), from Anglo-French suffrir, Old French sufrir, from Vulgar Latin *sufferire, variant of Latin sufferre "to bear, undergo, endure, carry or put under," from sub "up, under" (see sub-) + ferre "to carry" (see infer).

Replaced Old English þolian, þrowian. Meaning "to meekly submit to hardship" is from late 13c. That of "to undergo" (distress, suffering, etc.) is mid-14c. Meaning "to tolerate, allow" something to occur or continue is recorded from mid-13c. Related: Suffered; suffering.

Idioms and Phrases with suffer

suffer

see: not suffer fools gladly