sore
sore Lexical Profile
sore Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Painful, aching, or tender on or inside the body, especially as a result of injury, illness, or physical exertion.
"After hiking up the steep mountain trail for six hours, her legs were too sore to climb the stairs."
Upset, annoyed, or resentful about a setback, slight, or perceived injustice.
"He is still a bit sore about being passed over for the regional manager position last spring."
Urgent, severe, or causing great distress and difficulty.
"The historic library is in sore need of structural repairs after decades of neglect."
• noun
A raw, inflamed, or painful lesion, ulcer, or open wound on the skin or mucous membrane.
"The veterinarian applied a soothing antiseptic ointment to the small sore on the dog's paw."
A source of persistent emotional pain, distress, or irritation.
"Bringing up the failed merger only reopened old sores among the board members."
• adverb
Extremely, severely, or grievously (now chiefly archaic or literary, replaced in modern standard usage by 'sorely').
"The travelers were sore afraid when the sudden gale struck their wooden vessel."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'sore' (painful or aggrieved) with its homophone 'soar' (to fly high or rise rapidly).
• Rhymes for sore
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'sār' (meaning painful, grievous, or a wound), originating from Proto-Germanic '*saira-', which is related to German 'sehr' (meaning very) and Dutch 'zeer' (meaning ache or very).