释义 |
▪ I. sore, n.1|sɔə(r)| Forms: α. 1–3 sar (2–3 sær), north. and Sc. 4 sar, 4–6, 9 sare, 6– sair. β. 3–5 sor (3 seor), 4–5 soor(e (5 soure), 6–7 soare, 7 soar, 4– sore. [OE. sár str. neut., = OFris. sêr (WFris. sear, NFris. siar), MDu. seer, zeer (Du. zeer), OS. sêr (MLG. sêr-e, LG. ser, seer), OHG., MHG. sêr (early mod.G. sehr, also masc.), ON. and Icel. sár (Sw. sår, Da. saar), Goth. sair: see sore a. Feminine forms occur in some of the continental langs.: MLG. sêre, MHG. sêre (early mod.G. sehre).] †1. Bodily pain or suffering. Obs.
c825Vesp. Psalter xxx. 11 Asprong in sare lif min. c900Baeda's Hist. iv. xix. (1890) 320 Þy þriddan dæᵹe heo wæs eft hefiᵹad mid þæm ærrum sarum. 971Blickl. Hom. 59 On synne he bið ᵹeeacnod, & on his modor sare he bið acenned. c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 280 Þysse sylfan wyrte syde þæra toþa sar ᵹeliðiᵹað. c1205Lay. 12511 We beoð ofte hider ifaren mid wandreðe & mid sare. a1300Cursor M. 628 Vte of his side..Wit-oten sare a rib he tok. 1398Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xxx. (Bodl. MS.), Þe touche of senewes haþ no feling of soore and of smerte. a1450Le Morte Arth. 3405 The doughty kynge..For sore myght not hym-self weld. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop iv. xiii, My broder and my frend, where aboute is thy sore? 1583Leg. Bp. St. Androis 341 Suppoise the devill maid that graith,..At that tyme, to asswage my sair, I wald have tane it. †2. Sickness, disease; in particularized use, a disease, ailment, or bodily affliction. Obs.
a900Cynewulf Crist 1356 Þa þe on sare seoce laᵹun. c1250Gen. & Ex. 3027 Ðo wex vn-selðe on hem wel hard, dolc, sor, and blein on erue and man. c1300Cursor M. 14147 Þe sare him sekes fra hede to fote. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 96 Kynde come after with many kene sores, As pokkes and pestilences. 1604Shakes. Oth. iv. ii. 49 Had they rain'd All kind of Sores, and Shames on my bare-head. 1611Bible 2 Chron. vi. 28 Whatsoeuer sore, or whatsoeuer sicknesse there be. 1648Hexham ii, Roose, ofte de Kole, S. Anthonies Sore, called the Rose. 3. A bodily injury; a wound. Obs. exc. dial.
a1000Guthlac 676 Mec dryhten heht snude ᵹesecgan þæt ᵹe him sara ᵹehwylc hondum ᵹehælde. a120012th Cent. Hom. (1909) 114 Ac þa synfulle men sceolen iseon þa wundæn & þa sar on ure Drihtne. c1380Sir Ferumb. 503 ‘Me þynkþ þou hast a wonde þere..in þy syde.’.. Olyuer..turnd him þat sor to hyde. c1400Laud Troy Bk. 5843 He ȝaff Ector an hidous sore. 1513Douglas æneid xi. xv. 115 The scharp steill heid fixt to the rybbis remanys, In a full deip wound and a grewous sair. 1599Shakes., etc. Pass. Pilgr. 128 ‘See, in my thigh,’ quoth she, ‘here was the sore’. 1785R. Forbes Scots Poems Buchan Dial. 31 He'll suck the poison frae the sair, An' be a noble leech. 1876Mid-Yks. Gloss. 131 Sore has the meaning of bruise, or wound, occasionally. 4. A place in an animal body where the skin or flesh is diseased or injured so as to be painfully tender or raw; a sore place, such as that caused by an ulcer. See bed-sore (bed n. 19), saddle-sore (saddle n. 12).
c1000Sax. Leechd. I. 134 Wið wunda & wið cancor ᵹenim þas ilcan wyrte,..leᵹe to þam sare. Ne ᵹeþafað heo þæt sar furður wexe. a1300Cursor M. 14012 Þar sco fand ani breck or sare, Wit hir smerl sco smerd þare. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 87 Þe quantite of medicyns þat schulden be leid to þe soor..mai not wiþ lettris be writen. 1474Caxton Chesse ii. v. (1883) 66 And many flyes satte vpon the soores. 1523Fitzherb. Husb. §42 Shede the woll by and by, and laye a lyttell terre thervppon, tyll thou passe the sore. 1592Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 916 Another [hound] licking of his wound, 'Gainst venom'd sores the only sovereign plaster. 1603Dekker Wonderfull Yeare Wks. (Grosart) I. 118 Some haue had 18. sores at one time running vpon them. 1682K. Digby Chymical Secrets ii. 232 Dip a Straw or Feather in it, and touch all round about the borders of the Sore with it. 1755Johnson s.v., To be a sore, there must be an excoriation; a tumour or bruise is not called a sore before some disruption happen. 1784Cowper Task i. 582 They..vex their flesh with artificial sores. 1826S. Cooper First Lines Surg. (ed. 5) 170 Bruises of the shin so frequently cause sloughing and troublesome sores. 1889Science-Gossip XXV. 193/2 Matter discharged from leprous sores. 5. In fig. and allusive uses, with retention of literal phraseology; esp. coupled with salve (see salve n.1 2 and v.1 1 c). The sense becomes often coincident with 6 or 7.
c1350Will. Palerne 598 Ful wel can ich..help ȝow hasteli at al ȝoure hele to gete, ȝif ȝe saie me ȝoure sores. c1374Chaucer Anel. & Arc. 242 Noon othir helpeþe my soores for to sounde. 1390Gower Conf. II. 223 Of covoitise if ther be more In love, agropeth out the sore. 1410in 26 Pol. Poems ix. 178 Now sumwhat y haue ȝow sayd What is salue to ȝoure sore. 1538Starkey England ii. i. 143 Conuenyent remedys..to be applyd to such sorys and dyseasys in our polytyke body. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 304 b, The matter was taken up, yet the sore brake out agayne. 1587Greene Euphues Wks. (Grosart) VI. 181 That infectious soare of iealowsie. 1610Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 138 You rub the sore, When you should bring the plaister. 1647N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. lxiv. (1739) 134 The sore between him and his Subjects was not fully cured. 1727De Foe's Eng. Tradesman I. xii. 147 He had got a salve for that sore. 1828Scott F.M. Perth vii, It is not for me to put my finger on the sore. 1842Tennyson Walking to Mail 71 The same old sore breaks out from age to age. Prov.1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 64 And as the common saiyng is, increase the flamme with oyle, and be as sharpe nayle in the sore. 1562J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 71 It is ill healyng of an olde sore. †6. Mental suffering, pain, or trouble; grief, sorrow, anxiety, or the cause of this. Obs.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. vii. §2 Mið ðæm mæstan sare his modes. a1122O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1120, Ðysra deað wæs heora freondan twyfealdlic sar. c1175Lamb. Hom. 121 Lokiað hweðer enies monnes sar beo iliche mine sare. c1205Lay. 7998 Þer wes Julius Cezar, an heorte he hafde sorȝe & sar. c1250Gen. & Ex. 733 Teres gliden for hertes sor fro loth, and abram, and nachor. c1300Havelok 234 Þer was sobbing, siking, and sor, Handes wringing. c1350Will. Palerne 894 Sikende ful sadly for sor at his hert. c1386Chaucer Knt.'s T. 596 Who feeleth double soor and heuynesse But Palamon? 1423Jas. I Kingis Q. clxxxii, Euery wicht his awin suete or sore Has maist In mynde. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. (1812) I. clxii. 199 Gette vs to the french kynges batayle, for ther lyeth all the sore of the mater [orig. tout le fort de la besoigne]. 1575Gascoigne Glasse Governm. Wks. 1910 II. 66 Store is no sore, as the proverbe saith. †7. Grievous state; affliction, misery. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 9103 Þat sare, þat scam, þat martiring, Was neuer sene on suilk a king! c1400Pride of Life 406 in Non-Cycle Myst. Plays (E.E.T.S.) 101 To sauy þi soul fre sor. 14..Tundale's Vis. 724 Now goo we to a delfull stedde... Who schall delyver me from that sore? c1470Henry Wallace xi. 303 To wyn out off bondage Scotland agayn fra payn and felloun sor. ▪ II. sore, n.2|sɔə(r)| Also 4 sower, 4–6 sowre, 6 soor, 6–7 soare, 9 sor. [Subst. use of sore a.2] †1. Venery. A buck in its fourth year. Obs.
c1369Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 429 Of fawnes, sowers [v.r. sowres], buckes, does Was ful the wodde. 1486Bk. St. Albans e iv, A sowre at the .iiij. yere. 1523North Country Wills (Surtees) 116 The prior and covent..clayme of me..a buck or a soor agaynst Mary Magdaleyn day yerely. 1573Twyne æneid x. Ff iij b, If he a rowebuck swift.., Or els a sore may find, whose tender hornes begin to ryse. 1588Shakes. L.L.L. iv. ii. 59. 1633 Nabbes Totenham Court i. v, A longing Lady in the Strand had a pricket. Then I sent a soare to Barber-Surgeons Hall. 1741Compl. Fam.-Piece ii. i. 310 If any Deer come out that is not weighty, or a Deer of Antlier, which is Buck, Sore, or Sorel. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. ii. v. (1862) I. 329. 1865 [see sorrel n.2 2]. attrib.1577in Middlesex County Rec. (1886) I. 109 Duos coreos vocatos soreskynnes. 2. Falconry. A hawk in its second year. Also transf. (quot. a 1613).
1600[see sore n.4]. a1613Overbury Characters, Whore Wks. (1856) 82 The first yeere of her trade she is an eyesse,..the second a soare. a1682Sir T. Browne Tracts (1683) 118 Nor must you expect from high Antiquity the distinctions of Eyess and Ramage Hawks, of Sores and Entermewers, of Hawks of the Lure and the Fist. ▪ III. sore, n.3 dial.|sɔə(r)| Forms: 5 sour, sowr(e, soore, 7, 9 saur, 9 soar, sore. [a. ON. saur-r (Icel. and Norw. saur, MSw. sör) mud, dirt, excrement.] Mud; now (in Cheshire and Yorkshire) black mud, liquid manure, drainage.
c1440Promp. Parv. 460/1 Sloor, or sowr, cenum, limus. Ibid. 465/1 Soore, fylthe or sovr (S., P. sowre, filthe),..lutum. 1674Ray Coll. Words, Saur-pool, a stinking puddle. 1828Carr Craven Gloss. 98 Saur, urine from the cow-house, &c. 1879–in dial. glossaries, etc. (Chesh., Yks.). ▪ IV. † sore, n.4 Obs.—1 [a. older Flem. sore ‘droogen haerinck, rooden haerinck’ (Kilian), a. OF. (harenc) sor(e, now saur(e: see sore a.2] A red herring.
1600Surflet Countrie Farme vii. xliii. 871 Their colour doth diuerslie change according to their mues, which cause them to be called Hagards or Sores, all one with that which is vsuallie done by dryed herings which are called Sores or red herings. ▪ V. sore error for sord n., obs. var. sir n. ▪ VI. sore, a.1|sɔə(r)| Forms: α. 1, 3 sar (2–3 sær, 3 ser); north. and Sc. 4–5 sar, 4–6, 8 sare (6 sear, seir); 4–5 sayre, 5– 6 sayr, 5– sair (6 saire). β. 3, 5 sor, 5 soor, 5–6 soore, 6 Sc. soir, 4– sore (9 dial. soor, sooar). compar. 1 sarra, 3–5 sarre, 5 sarrar; 3 sarure, sarer, 6 sarar, sairar, 6, 9 sairer; 4 sorrore, 5– sorer. superl. 1 sarost, 4 sarrest, 6, 9 sairest, 6– sorest. [Common Teut.: OE. sár, = OFris. *sêr (WFris. sear, NFris. siar, sîr), MDu. seer (Du. zeer), OS. and MLG. sêr (LG. sêr, seer, etc.), OHG. and MHG. sêr (obs. and dial. G. seer, sehr), ON. sárr (Icel. sár, Norw. saar; MSw. sār, saar):—OTeut. *sairaz (whence Finnish sairas sick, ill). Cf. sore n.1] Senses 1–8 are now mainly arch. or dial. I. 1. Causing or involving bodily pain; painful, grievous; distressing or severe in this respect: a. Of wounds, hurts, ailments, or similar causes of physical suffering.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. C. xxxviii. (1871) 272 We wieton ðæt sio dieᵹle wund bið sarre ðonne sio opene. c1000in Thorpe Laws II. 278 Se læca þe sceal sare wunda wel ᵹehælan, he mot habban gode sealfe þærto. c1205Lay. 10423, I þan þridden dæie he sarne dæd þolede. a1225Ancr. R. 112 Euer so þet flesch is cwickure, so þe pine þerof & þet hurt is more & sarre. a1300Cursor M. 3478 Hir breding was ful selcut sare, Bot hir chiltting was mikel mare. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 1775 Þe payn of dede here es bitter and sare. c1400Pety Job 293 in 26 Pol. Poems 130 A man..With hote and colde, and hungor sore, Turmented ys. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 205 Hit makyth a full heuy and a full Soore wounde. 1539Bible (Great) Ps. xxxviii. 7 My loins are filled with a sore disease. 1593Shakes. Lucr. 1568 ‘Fool, fool!’ quoth she, ‘his wounds will not be sore’. a1629Hinde J. Bruen lxvi. (1641) 219 His weaknesse increased, by reason of a sore stopping in his breast and throate. 1655Culpepper, etc. Riverius xv. iii. 409 The same may also happen after sore labor in child-birth. 1831J. Wilson Noctes Ambr. Wks. 1856 III. 186 You've been suffering under a sair hoast, I hear. b. Of a blow, bite, weapon, etc.
a1300Cursor M. 25543 Suet iesu..sufferd..dintes sare and smert. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 6972 Þai salle..fele of vermyn bytyng sare. c1400Destr. Troy 1259 Castor..suet vnto Sedar with a sore wepyn. c1470Henry Wallace iii. 215 Thai band thaim fast with wedeis sad and sar. 1500–20Dunbar Poems lxxii. 21 Thai..gaif him mony buffat sair. 1607Shakes. Cor. ii. i. 268 Cammels.., who haue their Prouand Onely for bearing Burthens, and sore blowes For sinking vnder them. 1611Bible Isaiah xxvii. 1 The Lord with his sore and great and strong sworde. transf.c1400Apol. Loll. 38 For ai þe heiar degre, þe sarrar is þe falle. c. Of sickness. Passing into the merely intensive sense of ‘severe’.
a1300Cursor M. 8061 In sekenes sar he fand him stad. c1400Brut 201 Þai..woxen made, or sore sikenesse þai had. 1509Hawes Past. Pleas. xxix. (Percy Soc.) 137 For to have remedy of his sore sekenes. 1611Bible Deut. xxviii. 59 Sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 1808Jamieson s.v. Sair, Sair sickness, a sair fever. 2. a. Causing or involving, accompanied by, mental pain, trouble, or distress.
a1000Deor's Compl. 9 Beadohilde ne wæs hyre broþra deaþ on sefan swa sar swa hyre sylfre þing. a1000Cædmon's Gen. 425 Þæt me is on mode minum swa sar,..þæt hie heofonrice aᵹan to aldre. c1205Lay. 7418 Þider com tiðende þat him wæs sær [c 1275 sor]. a1300Cursor M. 6443 Þis ilk folk..Þat moyses had vnder hand, þai did him selcuth sore trauail. c1500Three Kings' Sons 44 But ther is o sore point, they that shalle go, knowe not the way. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 765 The tidyngs of this matter came hastily to the Queene.., and that in the sorest wise. 1833Tennyson Lotos-Eaters Choric Song vi, Sore task to hearts worn out by many wars. b. Of sorrow, repentance, or other feelings.
a900Cynewulf Crist 209 Nu þu ealle forlæt sare sorᵹceare. a1000Cædmon's Gen. 2029 Abraham..cwæð, þæt him wære weorce on mode, sorᵹa sarost, þæt [etc.]. a1200Vices & Virtues 21 Mid oðre loke of sare birewnesse. a1300Cursor M. 9088 For sar it es mi repentance. c142126 Pol. Poems xx. 106 Haue mynde of my sorwe sore! c1470Henry Wallace v. 714 The sayr grewans ramaynyt in his entent. 1871B. Taylor Faust (1875) I. x. 130 Besides his penitence was very sore. c. Of manifestations of grief: Bitter, painful.
c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 83 He ne fecheð noht þe sore siches onneðerward his heorte. 13..Cursor M. 4969 (Gött.), Ioseph herd þair murning sare. c1400Anturs of Arth. vii, Withe siking sare. 1535Joye Apol. Tindale (Arb.) 41 Paule loked with sore sighes. 1611Bible Gen. l. 10 They mourned with a great and very sore lamentation. 3. a. Involving great hardships, painful exertion, unusual difficulty, etc.
a900Cynewulf Crist 1418 Ða mec ongon hreowan, þæt..moncynnes tuddor..sceolde uncuðne eard cunnian, sare siþas. a1200Moral Ode 36 Monies monnes sare iswinc habbeð oft unholde. c1420Sir Amadace (Camden) xxi, God gif him a sore grace, And alle suche waisters as he wasse. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 637, I haue oft tymes swet in seruice full sair. 1508Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. cii. Wks. (1876) 182 Poule..gate his lyuynge with his owne sore labour. 1605Shakes. Macb. ii. ii. 38 Sleepe,..The death of each dayes Life, sore Labors Bath. a1629Hinde J. Bruen xxxii. (1641) 101 His painfulnesse in taking many long and sore journies. 1786Har'st Rig cxiv, In idle dreams they ne'er abound That ha'e sair wark. 1824Scott Redgauntlet let. xi, Sair wark he had to get the siller. absol.a1375Joseph Arim. 620 Þorw his swete grace þe sarrest is passed. c1400Rom. Rose 5519 Thei wolen..chaunge for softe ne for sore. b. Of battle or other conflicts: Severe, fierce, hot.
c1400Destr. Troy 5897 The assembly was sorer o þe se banke. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 182 Aftyr many Sore battaillis,..he flow ouer the See. 1508Dunbar Gold. Targe 198 The salt was all the sarar. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. 180 There was a sore fray, and slayne and drowned mo than sixe hundred frenchmen. 1605Shakes. Lear iii. v. 24 Though the conflict be sore betweene that, and my blood. 1671Milton Samson 287 In that sore battel when so many dy'd. c1780Burns ‘Ah! woe is me’ i, For sair contention I maun bear. 1816Scott Old Mort. xlii, He has had sair and frequent combats to sustain against the Evil One. 4. a. Pressing hardly upon one; oppressively heavy or severe; difficult to bear or support.
1500–20Dunbar Poems xlix. 30 God schawis the richt With soir vengence. 1535Coverdale 1 Kings xii. 14 My father made youre yock sore, but I wyll make it yet sorer vpon you. 1605Shakes. Macb. ii. iv. 3, I haue seene..things strange: but this sore Night Hath trifled former knowings. 1611Bible Ezek. xiv. 21 How much more when I send my foure sore iudgements vpon Ierusalem. 1714Prior Viceroy xii, On all provisions..He laid a tax full hard and sore. 1766Goldsmith Vic. W. xxviii, The hand of Heaven is sore upon us. 1786Burns Dream vi, Your sair taxation does her fleece. 1860Geo. Eliot Mill on Fl. iii. v, It's been a sore chance for you, young man, hasn't it? b. Of troubles, afflictions, evils, etc.
1563Winȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 101 marg., A dum pastour or a wicious, is a sair scurge on the peple. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. vi. 53 And for his dearest sake endured sore, Sore trouble of an hainous enimy. 1602Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 241 You must needs haue heard how I am punisht With sore distraction? 1679C. Nesse Antichrist 198 The nature of affliction which is usually sorest at last. 1742Young Nt. Th. iii. 218 Man is to man the sorest, surest ill. 1799A. Young Agric. Lincoln. 341 From 30 to 40 of this stock run in the fen, but to sore loss. 1819Shelley Ode West Wind 52, I would ne'er have striven As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need. 1835T. Mitchell Acharn. of Aristoph. 32 note, Those glaring contrasts, which form the sorest ill of poverty. 1871Palgrave Lyr. Poems 101 This is the sorest evil Of evils under the sky. c. Of trials or temptations.
1572Satir. Poems Reform. xxxi. 78 Now thay cum in freindis clais, Quhilk is ane sairer sey. 1709Watts Hymn, ‘With Joy we meditate the Grace’ ii, He knows what sore Temptations mean. 1892Photogr. Ann. II. 893 Each of these advantages must prove a sore temptation to the hand-camera worker. d. In intensive use: Very great or serious.
1555in Bonner Homilies 5* We shall sone perceyue the offence not lyght, but verye sore and heynous. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 71 The same wil redound to my great blame and sore discredit. 1611Shakes. Cymb. iii. vi. 13 To lapse in Fulnesse Is sorer, then to lye for Neede. 1825Scott Talism. iii, Committing what would have been a sore blot in his shield of arms. 1875Stubbs Const. Hist. II. xiv. 53 Henry was now in sore want of money. 1886S.W. Linc. Gloss. 137 It's a sore shame. 5. Severe, stern, hard, or harsh: †a. Of language, commands, etc. Obs.
1526Tindale 2 Cor. x. 10 The pistles (sayth he) are sore and strong: but his bodyly presence is weake. 1549Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 21 A soore word for them that are neglygent. 1610Shakes. Temp. iii. i. 11, I must remoue Some thousands of these Logs, and pile them vp, Vpon a sore iniunction. b. Of persons. Now dial. (Common in 16th c.)
1534More Comf. agst. Trib. ii. Wks. 1171/1, I dare not be so sore as vtterly to forbid it. 1553T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 123, I call him that is a cruell or mercilesse man, somwhat sore in iudgement. 1567J. Maplet Gr. Forest 87 b, She is verie extreme and sore towards hir yong. 1901G. Douglas Hosue with Green Shutters 324 Maybe the Lord Jesus Christ'll no' be owre sair on me. 6. Of a strong, severe, or violent character in respect of operation or effect: a. Of feelings.
c1449Pecock Repr. iii. iv. 295 His..ouer soor inclinacioun of loue anentis hem. 1611Bible Psalm ii. 5 Then shall hee..vexe them in his sore displeasure. 1810Crabbe Borough iv. 11 Some, when converted, sigh in sore amaze. b. Of storms, weather, etc.
1535Coverdale Ps. xvii. 14 He cast sore lighteninges, & destroyed them. 1556Chron. Gr. Friars (Camden) 28 Soch a sore snowe & a frost. 1593Marlowe Edw. II, iv. vi, With awkward windes and sore tempests driuen, To fall on shoare. 1866Neale Sequences & Hymns 36 Brought her through the sorest tempest. c. Of persons or other agents.
1565Cooper Thesaurus, Aduersarius acerrimus, a very sore and earnest [adversary]. 1592Timme Ten Eng. Lepers B ij, Nimri was a sore driver. 1602Shakes. Ham. v. i. 188 Your water is a sore Decayer of your horson dead body. 1656Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. lxvii. (1674) 85 Princes meet with no sorer enemies, than male-contents. 1688Holme Armoury ii. 122/2 Cattle, Horses, &c. are sore hurts both to Gardens & Orchards. d. Of actions. rare—1.
1563Homilies ii. Whitsunday ii, The byshops of Rome haue for a long time made a sore chalenge therunto. †7. Strong, weighty, valid. Obs.
1530Rastell Bk. Purgat. iii. vii, That is a very sore obieccyon that thou hast now put and aledged. 1551T. Wilson Logike (1580) 83 b, To persuade hym the better, he vsed this sore reason. 8. dial. = sorry a. (See quots.) In Destr. Troy 10445 sore appears to have this sense, but may be an error for sori sorry a.
a1825Forby Voc. E. Anglia (1830) 316 Sore, sorry; vile; worthless... ‘He made a sore hand of it!’ 1839Sir G. C. Lewis Gloss. Heref. s.v., ‘A sore fellow’ means a rogue, a rascal. ‘A sore time’ means a sad time. 1866J. E. Brogden Prov. Lincs., Sore, bad, sorry. He's made a sore job of it. 1880Antrim & Down Gloss. 96 Sore,..pitiful or contemptible. ‘He's a sore fool.’ II. 9. a. Of parts of the body: In pain; painful, aching. Now spec., having the skin broken or raw.
a1000Riddles xiv. 6 (Gr.), Ne wæs hyra ænᵹum þy wyrs ne side þy sarre. c1000–1150Sax. Leechd. III. 108 Wið mannes ceola þe byð sær. Þisne læce cræft man sceal ðon manne þe byð þe ceola sar. c1205Lay. 19501 Me scal lacnien his leomes þat beoð sare. a1300Cursor M. 15101 O þair fete þat semed sare. a1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) i. 15 Þai turned ogayn with sides sare. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 51 As a sore membre..[is parted] from membres þat beeþ hole..and in good poynt. 1489Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 149, vij elne of quhyte to be logouris to the King, the tyme his leg wes sayre. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W.) 220 b, No parte of our body can be sore or in payne, but al the other partes in maner feleth the same. 1542–3Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, c. 8 §1 Suche as ben peined with customable diseases: as womens brestes being sore. 1639in Verney Mem. (1907) I. 104 His gummes are soe sore, he will not yet suffer his nurse to looke into his mouth. 1695New Light of Chirurg. put out 30 The Parts so stiff and sore, as if they never would be well. 1704F. Fuller Med. Gymn. (1711) 57 I'm tyr'd, my Bones are sore. 1774Burke Sp. Amer. Tax. Sel. Wks. I. 112 Your ministerial directors..then went mumping with a sore leg in America, canting and whining. 1824Scott St. Ronan's xviii, What signifies healing a sore foot when there will be a broken heart in the case? 1847Marryat Childr. New Forest iv, My shoulder is quite sore with the rope. 1881Trans. Obstet. Soc. Lond. XXII. 14 There was no spot sore to touch. fig.1725Pope Odyss. iii. 252 Who while my soul is sore Of fresh affronts, are meditating more. b. Of the eyes, throat, etc.: Painful through inflammation or other morbid condition. a sight for sore eyes: see sight n.1 1 d. (a)a1400Stockholm Med. MS. fol. 128 For sore eyne..it is preuyd. 1565J. Halle Hist. Expost. (Percy Soc.) 17 Well,..seyng that you can heale sore eyes, what is an eye? 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. i. 36 Thou greene Sarcenet flap for a sore eye. c1680Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 28 Being troubled with sore eyes. 1765Gray Shakespeare Verses iii, But may not honey's self be turn'd to gall By residence, by marriage, and sore eyes? fig.1673Cave Prim. Chr. iii. i. 220 The brightness of his conversation offended the sore eyes of other men. (b)1686in Verney Mem. (1907) II. 423, I have a cold and a sore Throat. 1719Quincy Phys. Dict. (1722) 13 As they [tonsils] are subject to Inflammation, they frequently are the Occasion of what the common People call a sore Throat. 1787J. Collins in Med. Comm. II. 364 Putrid sore-throat, or angina maligna. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair li, The professional personages..would leave off their sore throats in order to sing at her parties. 1898Syd. Soc. Lex. s.v., Sore-throat, clergyman's, chronic follicular pharyngitis. (c)1853Mayne Expos. Lex. 73/1 Aphtha,..the disease of infancy, otherwise called thrush, or sore mouth. c. Sc. Of the head: Aching. a sore (Sc. sair) head, a headache.
1549Compl. Scot. vi. 67 The decoctione of it is remeid for ane sair hede. 1643Orkney Witch Trial in Abbotsford Club Miscell. I. 177 Ȝe said also that Bessie Spence hes ay ane sore head, it is ay pained. 1739A. Nicol Poems 52 (Jam.), Syne supperless I go to bed; The morn I wake with a sare head. 1785Burns Death & Dr. Hornbook xxvi, Tippence-worth to mend her head, When it was sair. 1824Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. 324 A confounded sair head, proceeding from the effects of taking the wee drap. 1880Antrim & Down Gloss. 96 Sore head, a headache. d. a bear with a sore head, used allusively for a type of sullen irritability, peevishness, or sensitiveness. Cf. sore-head, -headed.
1840Marryat Poor Jack xxxviii, As sulky as a bear with a sore head. e. Colloq. phr. dressed (or done, etc.) up like a sore finger (or toe) and varr., overdressed. Austral. and N.Z.
1919W. H. Downing Digger Dialects 46 Sore finger, an overdressed person (e.g. ‘dolled up like a sore finger’). 1939K. Tennant Foveaux 430 You ought to a seen us in the ole days when we 'ad a procession every year—done up like a sore toe with banners and floats. 1943J. A. W. Bennett in Amer. Speech XVIII. 91 ‘All done up like a sore toe’ describes someone dressed over-elaborately; many New Zealand children go barefoot much of the time, and it is with this circumstance in mind that we must interpret the simile. 1958H. D. Williamson Sunlit Plain 10 Get an eyeful of him! Done up like a sore toe. 1965P. White Four Plays 168 I'm gunna get out of this suit. Dressed up like a sore finger. f. Colloq. phr. to stick (or stand) out like a sore thumb, to be very conspicuous or obvious.
1936E. S. Gardner Case of Sleepwalker's Niece xiii. 128 ‘No,’ he said, ‘that's the one thing in the case that stands out like a sore thumb, now that I stop to think of it.’ 1941― Case of Haunted Husband (1942) xvi. 126 A private detective in that atmosphere would stick out like a sore thumb on a waiter serving soup. 1958Spectator 8 Aug. 187/1 A bad officer will stick out like a sore thumb. 1977New Yorker 15 Aug. 42/3 In the strong late-afternoon light the twelve white houses stood out like twelve sore thumbs. 10. Of persons: Suffering pain (from wounds, disease, or other cause). Freq. in alliteration with sick. Also absol.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6229 In such solas, As folc miȝte þat vorwounded & sor & wery was. c1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 1461 Now er we hale, now seke and sare. c140026 Pol. Poems xxvi. 109 After he felle foule and sore For luste of wemen that was hym nygh. 1542–3Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, c. 8 §1 In case they [surgeons] wolde minister their cunninge to sore people vnrewarded. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. iii. i. 65 If you went in paine Master, this knaue wold goe sore. 1611Bible Gen. xxxiv. 25 On the thirde day when they were sore [after circumcision]. a1700Dryden (J.), While sore of battle, while our wounds are green. 1837Maj. Richardson Brit. Leg. (ed. 2) ii. 291 He was exceedingly sore and faint with the bruises he had received. 11. Afflicted with sorrow or grief; pained, distressed: a. Of the heart, etc.
c1205Lay. 149 For he nefde nenne sune þe sarure was his heorte. c1250Gen. & Ex. 4044 Manie tiding quad balaam ðor, ðe made balakes herte sor. c1320Sir Tristr. 2141 Markes hert was sare. c1400Destr. Troy 2074 With hoge harmes to haue, & his hert sarre. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccv. 704 His mynde was so sore therof, that no man coude set hym therfro. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xviii. 4, I most departe Frome hir..With hairt full soir. 1721Ramsay Prospect of Plenty 11 'Till..wi' a heart right sair, He sees the bites grow bein, as he grows bare. 1785Burns Halloween viii, An' Jean had e'en a sair heart To see't that night. 1834Pringle Afr. Sk. xiv. 435 They were brothers—until the herds of the Amakosa increased so as to make the hearts of the Boors sore. 1871C. Gibbon Lack of Gold iii, I think I have made both your hearts sorer than they were before. 1891Farrar Darkn. & Dawn vii, With a sore conscience [he] was constantly driven to do what he disapproved. b. Of persons. Now dial.
c1205Lay. 638 Þe king wes on mode sar; þet wes for his monne lure. 13..R. Glouc. (1724) 7051 Þeruore þe kyng vor hys deþ þe sorrore was. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1987 Vche segge as sore, to seuer with hym þere, As þay hade wonde worþyly with þat wlonk euer. 1483Cath. Angl. 349/1 Sore, dolens. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. lxi. [lxiii.] 203 The foresayd knyght helde hymselfe sore of the informacyon of his wyfe. 1876[Robinson] Whitby Gloss. 159 ‘I's varry sair for 't,’ sorry for it. 12. a. Of persons or their feelings: Inclined to be irritated or grieved; irritable, sensitive; angry, resentful. Also const. about, on, and at. Now colloq. (chiefly N. Amer.).
a1694Tillotson (J.), Malice and hatred are very fretting and vexatious, and apt to make our minds sore and uneasy. 1738Pope Epil. Sat. i. 55 Laugh at your friends, and, if your Friends are sore, So much the better, you may laugh the more. 1815Scott Guy M. v, One of the few subjects on which he felt sore. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 233 The public mind was so sore and excitable that these lies readily found credit. 1852Dickens in Househ. Words V. 307/1 The people were very sore about the French marriage. 1884G. C. Davies Peter Penniless xxxii. 230 Everybody was greatly amused at the incident, except Quadling, who was sore about it for a long time. 1904N.Y. Even. Post 13 June 1 Kelly denied the charges and said the patrolman was ‘sore’ on him. 1923R. D. Paine Comr. Rolling Ocean xiv. 252 All hands were sore on him, but he couldn't take a hint. 1927[see high-hat v.]. 1932Wodehouse Hot Water xvi. 257 But surely you aren't going to get sore at a little thing like that? 1946Sunday Dispatch 8 Sept. 2/7 They were sore about the decision that had deprived them of complete victory. 1954[see nah1]. 1975D. Lodge Changing Places iii. 120 Nobody believed him of course, and this made him sore as hell. 1980Amer. N. & Q. Jan. 71/1 Jonson is likely to have been sore about Shakespeare..styling himself gentle. b. sore place, sore point, sore spot, a point or matter in respect of which one is easily vexed or irritated.
1690W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 426 It is a sore place; i.e. a thing that being touched upon will gall or grieve. 1863Bradford Advertiser 18 July 5/2 Some specially sore point to which you can direct your attack. c. Similarly with subject, etc.
1803C. Wilmot Jrnl. 6 Mar. in T. U. Sadleir Irish Peer on Continent (1924) 170 This however is a sore subject, as..there is scarcely any one that one sees who is not a living victim. 1833H. Martineau Berkeley the Banker i. viii. 167 It was indeed a sore subject in every house in Haleham. 1871Meredith H. Richmond xlviii, There lies the evil of a sore subject among persons of one household. 1886W. J. Tucker E. Europe 251 Now that they are Christians, the thought of having three of their children interred in a Jewish cemetery is a very sore one with them. 13. Comb., as sore-foot, sore-footed, sore-hearted (hence sore-heartedness), sore-rimmed, sore-toed adjs.; sore-back attrib., (of horses) having a sore back; so sore-back v. trans., to give (a horse) a sore back, sore-backed a.; sore-eyed a., having sore eyes; also applied to sheath-billed pigeons, which have reddish caruncles round the eyes.
1835J. E. Alexander Sketches in Portugal x. 224 It [sc. a hunting-saddle] sore-backs strange horses, is hard and smooth to the rider, and one can't carry any thing on it in the shape of arms or baggage. 1923in ‘Mark Twain’ Speeches 9 They have always got a sore-back horse lying around somewhere to sell to the stranger.
1901Kipling Five Nations (1903) 163 A top of a sore-backed Argentine, with a thirst that you couldn't buy. 1933J. V. Allen Cowboy Lore iv. 131 But he went to see the gals on a sore-backed hoss.
a1733in Prior's Poems (1733) III. 110 He's dropsical, she is sore-ey'd. 1756C. Smart tr. Horace, Epist. i. ii. (1826) II. 191 To him, that is a slave to desire or to fear, house and estate do just as much good as paintings to a sore-eyed person.
1911Blackw. Mag. Nov. 579/1 We see him arriving sorefoot at the Three Pigeons in Brentford.
1814Jane Austen Mansf. Park II. x. 234 She had only to rise and..pass quietly away..sore-footed and fatigued. 1927T. S. Eliot Journey of Magi, And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory.
1570Satir. Poems Reform. x. 394 Quhilk sycht to se..maid me sair hartit. 1884D. Boucicault Shaughraun iii. i. 20/1 Blessings on your path; it always leads to the poor and to the sore-hearted! 1923D. H. Lawrence Birds, Beasts & Flowers 55 Open..And red at the core with the last sore-heartedness, Sore-hearted-looking.
1915― Rainbow xiii. 371 He lifted his face, the sore-rimmed eyes half smiling.
1874W. Cory Lett. & Jrnls. (1897) 364 Men who are a little too sore-toed for marching. ▪ VII. sore, a.2 Obs. exc. Hist. Also 5 sor, soore, 5–6 sowre, 6–7 soare, 7 sorre, 7–9 soar; Sc. 5–6 soyr, 6 soir. [a. AF. (1086 in Domesday Bk.) and OF. sor, mod.F. saur(e, = Prov. saur, sor, Sp. soro, It. sauro, med.L. saurus, sorus, sorius, of undetermined origin. Cf. sore n.2] 1. Falconry. Applied to a hawk of the first year that has not moulted and still has its red plumage (now called a red hawk); hence applied to the plumage itself; occas. extended to other birds of prey, as the kite and eagle.
c1450Godstow Register 259 A sperehawke sowre. c1481Cely Papers (Camden) 81 The fayreste sor hawke..within aull Yngelond. 1513Douglas æneid vii. Prol. 125 The soir gled quhislis loud wyth mony ane pew. 1575Turberv. Faulconrie 69 That hawke that is mewed and hath cast his soare feathers. 1596Spenser Hymn Heav. Beauty 26 Of the soare faulcon so I learne to fly. 1614Latham Falconry 37 The passenger soare-Faulcon is a more choice and tender hawke. 1641Milton Animadv. Wks. 1851 III. 188 A Soar-Eagle would not stoope at a flye. 1677Lond. Gaz. No. 1180/4 Lost upon Hunslow Heath,..a Sore Tassel Gentle, with the Kings Varvels. 1753Chambers' Cycl. Suppl. s.v. Falco, The third [name] is the soar hawk, so called in September, October, and November. 1779Encycl. Brit. (ed. 2) IV. 2901/2 If it be a soar-falcon,..she will indeed be harder to reclaim. 1852[see sorage]. fig.1614T. Tomkis Albumazar iii. iv, Fully mued From brown soar feathers of dull yeomanry, To th' glorious bloom of gentry. †2. Of a horse: Of a reddish-brown colour. Obs. Cf. sorrel a. a.
a1400Sir Degrev. 76 Fayer stedes in the stallus, Lyard and soore. c1480Henryson Test. Cress. 211 (Charteris), Four ȝokkit steidis... The first was soyr, with Mane als reid as Rois. 1513Douglas æneid xii. Prol. 27 Eous the steid..Abuf the seyis lyftis furth his heid, Of cullour soyr. 1564in Raine Richmondshire Wills (Surtees) 171, ij fylles, a dappell graye and a sowre baye. 1679Claverhouse in Lauderdale Papers (1885) III. xcv. 165 With a pitch fork they made..an opening in my sorre horses belly. ▪ VIII. sore, v.1|sɔə(r)| Also north. and Sc. 4–6 sare, 5–6 sair. [f. sore a.1 Cf. OFris. sêria, OS. sêrian (MLG. sêren), MDu. seeren (Du. zeeren), OHG., MHG. sêren (mod.G. versehren), ON. and Icel. sǽra (Sw. såra, Da. saare). OE. had sárian to be pained or grieved.] a. trans. To make sore, in various senses; to give (physical or mental) pain to; † to wound.
13..Cursor M. 14147 (Gött.), Al if þai soght fand þai na bote, Þe seke him saris fra heued to fote. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 656 He socht in sa sadly, quhill sum of thame he saird. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxvi. 566, I fere to sore the kyng. 1536Bellenden Cron. Scot. (1821) II. 109 Ane wolf..quhen scho was sarit with the houndis. [1583Fulke Def. Tr. Script. i. 56 If wee had a participle in Englishe to say, sored or botched, we woulde vse it.] 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. xii. 38 Her bleeding brest..Was closed vp, as it had not bene sor'd [1596 bor'd]. 1847H. Bushnell Christian Nurture iii. (1861) 46 Religion itself, pressed down upon them till they are fatally sored by its impossible claims, becomes [etc.]. 1894Harper's Mag. Feb. 356/1 Some..are on foot, from soring their horses' backs. b. With up. To annoy. colloq. (orig. U.S.). rare.
1929D. Runyon in Hearst's Internat. July 56/1 It is a sure thing he will get sored up at the second peek. 1963‘R. East’ Pin Men vi. 162 He sored me up once for all and I left him flat. ▪ IX. † sore, v.2 Venery. Obs. [Of obscure origin: cf. resore.] intr. Of the hare: To traverse open ground.
1486Bk. St. Albans e viij b, In the feeldes where he [the hare] gooth no ways beene, Ther he sorth when he steppyth and hit may not be seene. 1576Turberv. Venerie 239 When a Hare is in playne fieldes, she Soreth. 16022nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. ii. v. 937 By and by I might see him sore and resore, prick and reprick. 1704Dict. Rust. (1726), Soring, the Footing of a Hare in open Field; for then the Huntsmen say, She Sores. ▪ X. sore obs. variant of soar v. ▪ XI. sore, adv. Now chiefly arch. and dial.|sɔə(r)| Forms: α. 1–3 sare (3 sære); north. and Sc. 4–5 sar(e, sayre, 4–5, 7 sayr, 4– sair; 8–9 sear. β. 3– sore (3 seore), 4–5 sor, 5–6 soore, 6 Sc. soir. compar. 3–5 sarre, 4–5 sarrer, 4 sarare, -er, 5 -arre; 4 sorere, zorer, 6– sorer. superl. 3–4 sarrest, 5 sarest, 3– sorest. [OE. sáre (f. sár sore a.1), = OFris. sêr, seer, MDu. seer (Du. zeer), OS. and OHG. sêro (MHG. sêre, G. sehr), MSw. sāra, sāre, Da. saare.] 1. Of striking, wounding, etc.: So as to cause considerable physical pain or bodily injury; violently or severely in this respect. αc1000Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) lxxvii. 33 Þonne he hi sare sloh, Þonne hi sohton hine. c1205Lay. 27692 Gecron..his spere grap anan and smat Leir þene eorl sære. a1225Ancr. R. 292 Þe neiles weren so dulte þet heo..breken þe bones, more þen þurleden, uorte pinen him sarre. a1352Minot Poems v. 12 It sowed him sare; Sare it þam smerted. 1375Barbour Bruce ii. 351 Feyle men dede, and woundyt sar. a1450Myrc 1416 Þe herre þat a mon ys in degre, Þe sarrer forsoþe falleþ he. 1508Dunbar Tua mariit wemen 223 Hald abak, and handill me nought sair. βc1205Lay. 27908 Kæi wes forwunded seore. 13..Sir Beues (A.) 407, I schel him smite swiþe sore Upon is hat. 1340Ayenb. 238 Huo þet heȝest ualþ þe zorer he him blecheþ. 1470–85Malory Arth. x. iii. 416 And fyrst he smote doune my felawe syre Bleoberys & sore wounded hym. a1548Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 200 b, Thei were sore beaten, wounded, and very evil intreated. 1562J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 61 An olde dog byteth sore. But..tholde bitche biteth sorer. 1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xiv. 44 Seeing ourselves all sore hurt. a1720Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. ii. 130, I did beat you very sore. 1842S. Lover Handy Andy l, She..said ‘they hurt her sore’, and she was ‘bleeding a power’. b. Of sickness or other physical suffering: Severely, dangerously, seriously.
c1290S. Eng. Leg. I. 231 Longue wenden þis gode men..Þat huy weren of-hongred sore. 1338R. Brunne Chron. (1725) 53 Þat tyme at Westmynstir Harald sore seke lay. c1350Will. Palerne 593 Seiȝth me al ȝour seknesse & what so sore ȝow greuis. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 236 A man..that soore seke is. c1450Merlin xiv. 207 Many ther were throwen to grounde sore bledynge with stroke of speres. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xliv. 16 Grit pane and wo..Into thair birth thay suffir sair for ws. 1609Rowlands Dr. Merrie-man (Hunterian Cl.) 18 An aged Gentleman sore sicke did lie. 1721Ramsay Prospect of Plenty 73 Peghing fou sair beneath a lade of fears. 1842Macaulay Horatius lxi, Fast his blood was flowing; And he was sore in pain. 1878Spurgeon Treas. David Ps. cxviii. 19 Our hero had also in all probability been sore sick. †2. With much suffering; dearly. Obs.
Beowulf 1251 Siᵹon þa to slæpe: sum sare anᵹeald æfenræste. c1205Lay. 8158 Þu me smite bi þon rugge, ah sare þu hit salt a-buggen. a1300Cursor M. 1070 Caym..Vntil his broþer nith he bare, Allas, þat boght þe sacrilages sare. 1375Barbour Bruce xviii. 514 War it nocht that he war Sic a catiff, he sulde by sair His wourdis. 1402in Yorksh. Arch. Jrnl. XX. (1908) 46 Wykked lyf maath [= maketh] a man tabye ful sore. 3. With verbs of grieving, annoying, etc.: So as to cause mental pain or irritation; deeply, intensely. αa1000Cædmon's Gen. 1257 (Gr.), Me þæt cynn hafað sare abolᵹen. c1205Lay. 4598 Þus seide Goðlac, sære him gromede. c1350Will. Palerne 2025 Sche told me a-noþer tale þat me tened sarre. c1400in 26 Pol. Poems x. 39 Ȝoure gyltes greued god so sare. 1814Scott Wav. lxv, But sair, sair angry and affronted wad she hae been. βc1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 173 Hie ben sore ofgramede, and wið hem seluen alre sorest. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 10286 Þan ys þy peryl mykel þe more, Þat þou wraþest Crist so sore. c1386Chaucer Sompn. T. 481 Ne grevith me no thing so sore, As that this elde cherl..Blasphemed hath our holy covent eeke. 1470–85Malory Arthur ii. vi. 82 The whiche sorowe greued Balyn passyngly sore. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 8 For these, and for other sterne and cruell deedes done by hym, the sayde Nobles were sore moued against him. 1671Milton P.R. iv. 196 Be not so sore offended, Son of God. 1782Cowper Gilpin 54 Although it griev'd him sore. 1870Bryant Iliad iv. I. 105 Minerva held her peace,..sore displeased with father Jove. b. Used to intensify the idea of dislike or reluctance, esp. with against one's will.
a1225Ancr. R. 56 Vor þet ec þet he dude hire was iðe frumðe sore hire unðonckes. 1530Palsgr. 842/1 Sore agaynst my wyll,..moult enuys. 1567Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 232 Sa we departit soir againis our will. 1632Lithgow Trav. x. 449 Then vnhappily came I a shoare..sore agaynst the Generals will. 1782Cowper Gilpin 158 Away went Gilpin,..sore against his will. 4. With great grief, distress, or perturbation of mind; in such a manner or to such an extent as to involve or manifest this. (Passing into a mere intensive.) a. With verbs of weeping, lamenting, etc. αa900Cynewulf Crist 1572 (Gr.), Hu þa womsceaþan hyra ealdᵹestreon..sare greten. a1000Ags. Ps. (Thorpe) cxxxvi. 1 Ofer Babilone bradum streame, þær we sittað & sare wepað. c1200Ormin 7924 Forr iwhillc mann birrþ wepenn her, & sikenn sare. a1300Cursor M. 9045 Wit bath his eien sar he grett. a1352Minot Poems (ed. Hall) viii. 60 Þe knightes..Come to sir Edward sare wepeand. a1400Pistill of Susan 222 Whon we þat semblaunt seiȝ, we siked wel sare. c1470Gol. & Gaw. 1128 The king..Sair murnand in mude. 1513Douglas æneid ii. xii. 15 The ȝing childring..Stude all on raw,..About the tresour quhymperand woundir sair. 1567Satir. Poems Reform. iv. 65 Scho come to me..Lamentand sair my greit calamitie. 1778–in northern and Sc. dialect use. βc1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 169 Iob.. hefde..his honden to his breste, and sore sihte. a1250Owl & Night. 885 Vor oþer men hi wepeþ sore. 13..Sir Beues (A.) 1111 Ȝhe fel adoun and wep riȝt sore. 1423Jas. I Kingis Q. lxxi, So sore thus sighit I with my-self allone. 1485Caxton Chas. Gt. 78 Olyuer had so moche compassyon of hym..that he sore wepte. 1535Coverdale 1 Macc. ii. 39 When Matathias and his frendes herde this, they mourned for them right sore. 1567Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 3 Ane bony boy was soir makand his mone. 1611Bible Judges xxi. 2 And the people..lift vp their voices, and wept sore. a1649Drummond of Hawthornden Poems Wks. (1711) 42 He who did cause her Ill Sore-wailing stood. 1868Morris Earthly Par. (1870) I. i. 394 She turned away lamenting very sore. b. With verbs of repenting, rueing, etc. αa1000Doomsday 83 (Gr.), Þam þe his synna nu sare ᵹeþenceþ. c1175Lamb. Hom. 149 Þet him sare roweþ. a1300Cursor M. 25996 Sua sar þin sakes to for-thingk Þat soru thoru þin hert sink. 1375Barbour Bruce ix. 469, I trow..that him sair repent sall he. c1470Henry Wallace i. 72 Quhar throuch Scotland rapentyt syne full sar. 1500–20Dunbar Poems ix. 87 In thir pointis, quhair I offendit, sair I rew. 1570Satir. Poems Reform. x. 292 As efterwart thay did repent full sair. βa1200Moral Ode 354 It him mai reuwe sore. c1250Gen. & Ex. 1166 So sore him reu of ðat bale. c1290[see repent v. 1]. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 290 Sore hit me rwez Þat euer I made hem myself. c1412Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 663, I now repente wonder sore. 1535[see forthink v. 5 b]. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) iv. 20 Syne..[she] Perchance sall soir repent. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. viii. 47 That all the noble knights..may sore repent with me. 1838Wilson's Tales Borders (1839) V. 15/2 Sore, sore you have rued..that night. c. With verbs denoting fear, dejection, doubt, etc. αc1200Ormin 3809 Acc aȝȝ þeȝȝ sinndenn..sare offdredde Off domess daȝess starrke dom. c1230Hali Meid. 15 Beo sarre offearet to fallen. a1300Cursor M. 22629 Sair þai sal do for to grise. 1375Barbour Bruce i. 440 He dred sayr his felouny. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 710, I dreid me sair I be begylit. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 124 Full sair he dred for blame. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 77 Thay feired nocht litle, bot verie sair, that..al sulde succeid verie ill. 1820Scott Monast. iv, Sair, sair my mind misgave me. βc1250Gen. & Ex. 3223 Sore he gunen for-dredde ben. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 575 Þe king kwakede & is men, so sore hii were agaste. c1320Cast. Love (Halliw.) 1580 Fulle sore mowe heo then dreden. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 314 ‘That is soþ,’ seide satan, ‘bote ich me sore doute’. c1425Eng. Conq. Irel. vii. 20 (Dubl. MS.), Macmorgh..be-held his men, and saw ham sor amayed. 1484Caxton Fables of æsop ii. v, Whanne the folke sawe that the erthe beganne thus to shake, they were sore aferd. 1508Dunbar Gold. Targe 159 Full sore thay dred to done a violence. a1591H. Smith Wks. (1867) II. 5 Indeed, this news frighted him sorest. 1611Bible 1 Sam. xxviii. 15 Saul answered, I am sore distressed. 1690W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 426, I was sore afraid, you had been gone. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 636 We are trained up to dread thee sorer by the..customs of the world around us. 1858Mansel Bampton Lect. vii. (1859) 150 In our hearts we believe, yet our thoughts at times are sore troubled. d. With verbs denoting astonishment or embarrassment.
c1450Merlin ii. 30 And thei herden hym thus sey, thei were sore a-merveyled. 1470–85Malory Arthur i. iii. 38 Thenne she sore abasshed to yeue ansuer. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xci. 292 He was stryken fro his horse to the erth sore astonyed, so that he wyst not where he was. 1592Timme Ten Eng. Lepers Ij, They would not wonder so sore at the punishment. 1620Frier Rush 24 At the which they were sore astonished. 1742Young Nt. Th. ii. 398 We, sore amaz'd, from out earth's ruins crawl. 1787Burns J. Barleycorn iii, John Barleycorn got up again, And sore surpris'd them all. 5. So as to cause suffering, hardship, or great straits; to a painful or distressing degree; severely, grievously, oppressively.
α Beowulf 2311 Swa hyt lungre wearð on hyra sincᵹifan sare ᵹeendod. a1000Genesis 2415 Þæt sceal wrecan swefyl & sweart liᵹ, sare & grimme. a1122O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1116, Ðis land & þas leodon wurdon..oftrædlice sare ᵹeswencte. c1230Hali Meid. 7 Þu..schalt beo sare iderued under hire, as hire þral. c1440York Myst. xi. 160, I sall send vengeaunce ix. or x., To sewe hym sararre, or I sesse. βc1305Mir. St. James 67 in E.E.P. (1862) 59 Þe deuel ȝeode awey, & huld him a-gyled sore. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 38 Þei ponysche men sorere for breken of here owen lawis þan for brekynge of goddis lawe. a1400Sir Perc. 349 The lady was never more sore bygone. 1535Coverdale 1 Macc. ii. 30 The tyranny increaced so sore vpon them. 1595G. Markham Sir R. Grinuile (Arb.) 85 For his own sake, Whom desperate hazard might indamage sore. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 197 They hate and punish Adultery very sore. 1667Milton P.L. i. 298 The torrid Clime Smote on him sore besides. 1786Burns The Lament viii, Sore-harass'd out, with care and grief. 1806T. S. Surr Winter in Lond. III. 7 Unhappy stranger, you have been sore afflicted. 1865Kingsley Herew. vii, The archers shot sore at him from the wall. 1870Burton Hist. Scot. lxviii. VI. 418 His enemies, too, in their hour of triumph, harassed him sore and showed him little mercy. †b. to sit (or set) one sore (see sit v. 15). Obs.
c1420Sir Amadace (Camden) xxi, I see a siȝte I thenke on ȝete, That sittus me nowe fulle sore. c1470Henry Wallace i. 439 Sone, thir tythings sytts me sor. c1560A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xx. 20 Quhat kin thing wes lufe, Quhilk now settis the so sair. 6. To a grievous or serious extent; greatly.
a1300X Commandm. 38 in E.E.P. (1862) 16 Sore and bitter þe soule [it] sal der. 1489Caxton Faytes of A. ii. xxxv. 151 Oure lorde sent suche a grete showre of rayne that theyre harneys was sore charged with watre. 1513in C. Rogers Coldstream Chartul. (1879) Pref. 21 Soo soore abewsed with the faire promyses of Fraunce. 1567Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 37, I knaw that I haif sinnit soir. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 1124 High Passions, Anger, Hate,..shook sore Thir inward State of Mind. 1683Yorkshire Dial. 5 Thur Yowes are Clowclagg'd, they skitter sayr. b. With reference to physical deterioration.
1523Fitzherb. Husb. §14 All these maner of otes weare the grounde very sore. 1570–6Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 133 This Towne was so sore wasted with fire,..that it was wholly..consumed. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 429 The Turkes continuing the batterie had sore shaken the aforesaid tower. a1668R. Lassels Voy. Italy (1670) II. 135 Half of it is..sore battered with the aire. 7. With great exertion or effort; laboriously, toilsomely, hard.
a1300Body & Soul 67 in Map's Poems 341 Never ne thouȝtest thow..ho therfore sarrest swonk. 13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 550 Þe fyrst by-gonne to pleny & sayden þat þay hade trauayled sore. c1550Cheke Lett. 11, J..labor as sore that ye mai thinke [etc.]. 1567Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 517 Laubourand and travelland sair for his leving. 1620Frier Rush 27 Me thinks you take great paines to worke so sore your selfe. 1795Macneill Will & Jean 1, Will wrought sair, but aye wi' pleasure. 1838Carlyle Misc. (1857) IV. 178 Long and sore had this man thought. 1843― Past & Pr. iii. xiii, To work sore, and yet gain nothing. b. With great force or vigour; strongly. (a)c1400Laud Troy Bk. 8681 Thei rode to-gedur wel sare, Many a stalworthe knyȝt thare. 1464Paston Lett. II. 144 The plee by twene Ogan and yow was sore argued. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cxx. 144 Some of theym..drewe it to them so sore, that they brake the chenes of yron yt helde the bridge. 1527Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters M ij b, The membre well and sore rubbed therwith. (b)1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 199 On a tyme when it thoundreed veray sore. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 94 The wynde blewe sore against the streame. 1656Bradford Plymouth Plant. i. x. (1856) 87 Though it was very darke, and rained sore. c. With severity or strictness; severely.
1483Caxton G. de la Tour D viij, He had repreued them so sore that they had..grete shame. c1500Lancelot 1660 Bot schortly thei sall be sar accusit. 1533More Answ. Poysoned Bk. Wks. 1036/2 Of suche bookes, as sore as they bee forbodden, yet are there manye boughte. c1586Sidney Arcadia ii. (1590) 224 Thou heardst even now a young man sneb me sore. 8. Eagerly, earnestly; with great desire or intensity. Chiefly with verbs of longing. (a)1297R. Glouc. Chron. (Rolls) I. 356/117 Hym longede after veneson þer after longe sore. a1400–50Wars Alex. 385 Þen kisses he kenely þe quene.., Langis sare to þe layke. c1420Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1045 He callyd soore for bowes and bade hem shote faste. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxi. 211 Ye shall se Huon, whose presence ye so sore desyre. 1575Gascoigne Glasse of Governm. Wks. 1910 II. 78, I long sore to have answere of my letters. 1611Bible Gen. xxxi. 30 Because thou sore longedst after thy fathers house. (b)a1533Ld. Berners Huon xliii. 143 Then the Admyrall soore [1601 earnestly, Fr. mout fort] behelde Huon. 1545R. Ascham Toxoph. (Arb.) 25 You studie to sore Toxophile. 1611Bible Judges xiv. 17 He tolde her, because shee lay sore vpon him. 1894Crockett Raiders (ed. 3) 284, I urged her sore. †9. Closely, tightly. Obs. Perh. only a contextual variation of sense 10.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 219, I conseille alle crystene cleue nouȝte þer-on to sore. 1390Gower Conf. I. 58 That other Ere als faste He stoppeth with his tail so sore, That he the wordes..ne hiereth. 1426Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 8797 Sche kepeth hem..Sore shet wyth lok & keye. a1483Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. (1790) 69 Not to boult it soe sore vpon the gurgeones. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 29 b, It shetteth it self so sore..that..it is not so opened agayne. 1545R. Ascham Toxoph. (Arb.) 111 The string..beynge sore twined must nedes knap in sunder. 10. To a great extent; greatly, very much. Chiefly in contexts suggestive of sense 6, but sometimes merely intensive.
c1440Pallad. on Husb. i. 90 Ne picche hit not to[o] soore into the vale. 1470–85Malory Arthur iv. vi. 126 And anone they felle on slepe, and slepte merueillously sore all the nyght. a1533Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) C ij b, There was a lawe soore vsed and accustomed, and well kepte in the Romayne polycie. 1561Hollybush Hom. Apoth. 34 Seth the Turtel wyth water, salt her not to sore. 1606G. Woodcock Hist. Iustine xxxv. 113 So sore hated was Demetrius among all men. 1611Shakes. Cymb. iv. ii. 225 Oh bill sore shaming Those rich-left-heyres. 1784Cowper Task iv. 343 The wain goes heavily, impeded sore By..loads adhering close To the clogg'd wheels. 1812Byron Ch. Har. i. ii, A shameless wight, Sore given to revel and ungodly glee. 11. With adjs. and advs.: Very, extremely, exceedingly. Obs. exc. dial.
1474Caxton Chesse iii. vii. (1883) 141 The kynge denys had a broder whom he louyd sore well. c1489― Sonnes of Aymon iii. 112 That I assaylled theym, it hath cost me sore dere. 1530Comp. Old Treat. in Roy Rede me (Arb.) 171 The new testament..set forthe by Master William Tyndale, which they falsely pretende to be sore corrupte. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 98 Scheiphouses..of quhais burning thay ar nocht sair solist. 1638R. Brathwait Barnabee's Jrnl. ii. (1818) 61 Where growne surfoot and sore weary, I repos'd. 1860Geo. Eliot Mill on Fl. iii. ix, She was sore fond of us children. 12. Comb., as sore-holding; sore-dreaded, sore-meant, sore-pressed, sore-wearied, sore-won, sore-worn adjs.
c1450Merlin xiv. 222 The haubrekes, that were stronge and sore-holdynge. 1567Satir. Poems Reform. iv. 66 My langsum lyfe and sair tormentit Spirite. 1616J. Lane Contn. Sqr.'s T. x. 330 Ann apparition, which seemd at first to bee some sore ment vision. 1638R. Brathwait Barnabee's Jrnl. iii. 121 Thence to Ferrybrig, sore-wearied Surfoot, but in spirit cheer'd. 1785Burns Cotter's Sat. Nt. iv, To..deposite her sair-won penny-fee. 1787Minor 28 That bedlam,..bedizened in sore-worn flounces. 1843A. Bethune Scottish Fireside Stor. 279 It was that day..Which brings to sair worn toil a time Of needful peace. 1866G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xxviii. (1878) 479 The sore-pressed garrison which had retreated to its last defence. 1870J. Bruce Life of Gideon xviii. 335 Nigh to the spot on which those harnessed and sore-dreaded dreamers lay. |