suffer Hear it!

Jump To: synonymsSynonyms · examplesUsage Examples · quotesQuotes · linkLink/Cite
Also found in: idiomsAH Idiom Dictionary
suffer definition

suf·fer (suf′ər)

transitive verb

  1. to undergo (something painful or unpleasant, as injury, grief, a loss, etc.); be afflicted with
  2. to undergo or experience (any process, esp. change)
  3. to allow; permit; tolerate
  4. to bear up under; endure: now chiefly in negative constructions they could not suffer opposition

Etymology: ME suffren < Anglo-Fr suffrir < OFr sofrir < VL *sufferire, for L sufferre, to undergo, endure < sub-, sub- + ferre, to bear

intransitive verb

  1. to experience pain, harm, loss, a penalty, etc.
  2. to be at a disadvantage my grades suffer by comparison with yours
  3. Archaic to tolerate or endure evil, injury, etc.

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms suffer idiom

suffer Synonyms

suffer

v.

  1. To feel pain

    undergo, experience, ache, smart, be in pain, be wounded, agonize, grieve, be racked, be convulsed, languish, droop, flag, sicken, endure torture, get it in the neck, look green about the gills*, complain of, be affected with, go hard with, flinch at, not feel like anything, labor under; see also hurt 4.

    Antonyms recover*, be relieved, be restored.

  2. To endure

    bear, sustain, put up with; see endure 2.

  3. To permit

    allow, acquiesce, admit, let, concede, indulge, connive at, stretch a point, authorize, sanction, yield, bow, submit, tolerate; see also allow 1. See syn. study at allow, endure.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

suffer Usage Examples

Object

  • injury: Hope he doesn't suffer any injuries in the meantime.

Preposition: at

  • hand: The pirates take Syn-Jern to their island to recover from the terrible physical abuse he has suffered at the hands of his sadistic captors.

Preposition: as

  • result: The Inquiry similarly confirmed that deer and hares suffer as a result of being hunted and killed by dogs.

Noun phrase with adjective complement

  • due: Temporary memberships are also granted to people suffering short-term difficulties due to accident or surgery.

Present participle complement

  • bruise: He suffered bruising to his head and wrists, and months of mental trauma until, eventually, he left retail altogether.

Preposition: in

  • silence: The upshot of all this is just one piece of advice: don't suffer in silence.

Preposition: from

  • depression: The Novice was admitted to Hospital for two nights, suffering from severe depression.

Preposition: with

  • eczema: Victoria Joanna is five years old, and from the age of six weeks she has suffered with severe eczema and subsequent skin conditions.
suffer usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

suffer quotes

La mort ne fait jamais mal. La mort est douce† Ce qui fait souffrir avec certains poisons, certaines blessures maladroites, c'est la vie. C'est le reste de vie. Il faut se confier franchement a'   la mort comme une amie. Death never hurts. Death is sweet† Life is what makes us suffer with its poisons and awkward injuries. That's what remains of life.We must confide freely in death as we would in a friend.

-Anouilh,Jean

A lui la foi, a'   elle le doute, a'   elle le fardeau le plus lourd: la femme ne souffre-t-elle pas toujours pour deux? For him, faith; for her, doubt and for her theheavier load: does not the woman always suffer for both?

-Balzac, Honore¤   de

A cause may be inconvenient, but it's magnificent. It's like champagne orhigh heels, and onemust be prepared to suffer for it.

-Bennett, (Enoch) Arnold

suffer quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"suffer." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/suffer>

APA Style

suffer. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/suffer

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment