suf ‧ fer S1 W1 /ˈsʌfə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ sufferer , ↑ suffering , ↑ sufferance ; verb : ↑ suffer ; adverb : ↑ insufferably ; adjective : ↑ insufferable ]
[ Date: 1100-1200 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: souffrir , from Vulgar Latin sufferire , from Latin sufferre , from sub- ( ⇨ ↑ sub- ) + ferre 'to bear' ]
1 . PAIN [intransitive and transitive] to experience physical or mental pain:
At least he died suddenly and didn’t suffer.
She’s suffering a lot of pain.
suffer from
I’m suffering from a bad back.
Mary’s suffering from ill health at the moment.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that someone has a medical condition, rather than suffers from it:
▪
Both her children have asthma.
2 . BAD EXPERIENCE/SITUATION [intransitive and transitive] if someone suffers an unpleasant or difficult experience, or is in a difficult situation, it happens to them or they experience it
suffer from
London employers were suffering from a desperate shortage of school-leavers.
Most of us have suffered the consequences of stupid decisions taken by others.
In June 1667, England suffered a humiliating defeat by the Dutch.
suffer loss/damage/injury
They are unlikely to suffer any further loss of business.
He suffered head injuries in the crash.
A man who suffered serious brain damage during an operation is suing the hospital.
Small businesses have suffered financially during the recession.
3 . BECOME WORSE [intransitive] to become worse in quality because a bad situation is affecting something or because nobody is taking care of it OPP benefit :
Safety might suffer if costs are cut.
I’m worried and my work is beginning to suffer.
4 . not suffer fools gladly to not be patient with people you think are stupid:
He was a perfectionist who didn’t suffer fools gladly.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ nouns
▪ suffer an injury
Ten people suffered minor injuries.
▪ suffer a heart attack/stroke
He died after suffering a massive heart attack.
▪ suffer damage
The U.S. ship suffered no damage.
▪ suffer a defeat
The team has now suffered five successive defeats.
▪ suffer a setback
Her preparations for the Olympic Games suffered a setback when she injured her leg during training.
▪ suffer a blow (=experience a situation or event that causes difficulty or sadness)
The government suffered another blow when a report claimed that standards in education were falling.
▪ suffer a loss
Both companies have suffered heavy financial losses.
▪ suffer a problem
Research shows that children of alcoholic parents are more likely to suffer problems in adulthood.
▪ suffer the consequences
If they cannot learn to adapt, they will suffer the consequences.
■ adverbs
▪ suffer badly/greatly
The town had suffered badly in the war.
▪ suffer financially
The museum suffered financially under his administration.