suffer

suffer
suf‧fer S1 W1 /ˈsʌfə $ -ər/ verb1.  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.