to undergo or be subjected to (pain, punishment, etc)
2.
(tr) to undergo or experience (anything): to suffer a change of management
3.
(intr) 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.
archaic (tr) to permit (someone to do something): suffer the little children to come unto me
6.
suffer from
a. to be ill with, esp recurrently
b. to be given to: he suffers from a tendency to exaggerate
[C13: from Old French soffrir, from Latin sufferre, from sub- + ferre to bear]
usage 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
early 13c., "to undergo, endure" (pain, death, punishment, judgment, grief), from Anglo-Fr. suffrir, from O.Fr. sufrir, from V.L. *sufferire, variant of L. sufferre "to bear, undergo, endure, carry or put under," from sub "up, under" + ferre "to carry" (see infer). Replaced
O.E. þolian, þrowian. Meaning "to tolerate, allow" is recorded from late 13c.