---
title: suffer — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «suffer» in the school dictionary: To suffer is to feel pain, illness, sadness or other bad things. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# suffer

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** bad thing, work, you, your, She, Animals · **What happens:** suffer, be, have, happen, become, not sleep · **To what, where:** you, defeat, damage, hay fever, Animals, big defeat · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«suffer» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [suffer in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/suffer.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To suffer is to feel pain, illness, sadness or other bad things.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:m1:1
# text = To suffer is to feel pain, illness, sadness or other bad things.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	feel	feel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	pain	pain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	illness	illness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
10	sadness	sadness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
12	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
13	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | feel *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To have a bad thing happen to you: suffer a defeat, suffer damage.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:m2:1
# text = To have a bad thing happen to you: suffer a defeat, suffer damage.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	have	have	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
10	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	defeat	defeat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
14	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
15	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | to-infinitive | a bad thing *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **happen** | infinitive | a bad thing |  | you |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 3 | **suffer** | infinitive | a bad thing *not said here* | a defeat |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer defeat=Stimulus |
| 4 | **suffer** | infinitive | a bad thing *not said here* | damage |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer damage=Stimulus |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To become worse because of something: your work will suffer if you do not sleep.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:m3:1
# text = To become worse because of something: your work will suffer if you do not sleep.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	become	become	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	worse	badly	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	2	advmod	_	_
4	because	because	ADP	IN	ExtPos=ADP	6	case	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	fixed	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	11	punct	_	_
8	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
9	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	nsubj	_	_
10	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	11	aux	_	_
11	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
12	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	sleep	sleep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **become** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | because something; badly *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **suffer** | future | your work |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 3 | **not** **sleep** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · do-support | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn snooze-40.4-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **work** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom work «act intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She suffers from hay fever in the spring.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:x1:1
# text = She suffers from hay fever in the spring.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	suffers	suffer	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	from	from	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	hay	hay	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	fever	fever	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	spring	spring	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | present | She |  |  | hay fever | spring |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Animals should never be left to suffer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:x2:1
# text = Animals should never be left to suffer.
1	Animals	animal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
3	never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	aux:pass	_	_
5	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **leave** | should · passive |  | Animals |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **suffer** | to-infinitive | Animals *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team suffered a big defeat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:x3:1
# text = The team suffered a big defeat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	suffered	suffer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	big	big	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	defeat	defeat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | past | the team | a big defeat |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer defeat=Stimulus |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The town suffered damage in the flood.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:x4:1
# text = The town suffered damage in the flood.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	suffered	suffer	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	damage	damage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	flood	flood	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | past | the town | damage |  | the flood |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer damage=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your schoolwork will suffer if you stay up too late.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:x5:1
# text = Your schoolwork will suffer if you stay up too late.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	schoolwork	schoolwork	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	stay	stay	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	advcl	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	too	too	ADV	RB	_	10	advmod	_	_
10	late	late	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | future | Your schoolwork |  |  |  |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **stay up** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | you |  |  |  |  | late *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't suffer in silence; tell an adult if you are hurt.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:x6:1
# text = Don't suffer in silence; tell an adult if you are hurt.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	suffer	suffer	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	adult	adult	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
10	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
11	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	13	nsubj	_	_
12	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	hurt	hurt	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **suffer** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  | silence |  |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | infinitive | you *not said here* |  | a adult |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent adult=Recipient |
| 3 | **hurt** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · passive |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Then everybody in the jungle suffers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:suffer:x7:1
# text = Then everybody in the jungle suffers.
1	Then	then	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	6	advmod	_	_
2	everybody	everybody	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	6	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	jungle	jungle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	suffers	suffer	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **suffer** | present | everybody |  |  |  | then |  | vn marvel-31.3 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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