sorehead n.
(US) a grumpy or resentful individual; also attrib. (see cites 1855, 1882).
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Democratic Banner (Bowling Green, MO) 23 Nov. 2/3: This representative of the sore-heads of St Louis charges the Banner with inconsistency. | |
 | M’arthur Democrat (OH) 5 Jan. 1/2: To all sore-head Democrats that are in our net [etc]. | |
| Brooklyn Dly Eagle (NY) 30 Mar. 2/2: Mercantile Library Association [...] Stormy and tempestuous session — The ‘sore-heads’ of last year still smarting. | |
| ‘Farmer Greeley’ in Farmer of Chappaqua Songster 36: They call us ‘sore-heads,’ but they’ll see / The name best fits themselves! | |
| Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 11 Mar. 2/3: ‘[S]orehead’ losers on the Ryan-Sullivan fight have insidiously sought to establish that there was anything but upright dealing. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | Dublin Wkly Nation 22 Dec. 8/2: It is not out of affection for Ireland that the old sorehead has consented to a broadening of the Irish franchise. | |
| Texas Cow Boy (1950) 61: Jim Muckleroy, who was a regular old sore-head. | |
| (con. 1860s) On the War Path 27: [He] suffers in silence the bitter attacks from those who [...] have become disappointed sore-heads. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Mirror of Life 6 Apr. 10/3: ‘The ravings of a defeated sorehead like John L. Sullivan’. | |
| World of Graft 56: There are a few sore-heads [...] who chew the rag about corruption. | |
| letter 15 Feb. in Pope Letters of Ambrose Bierce (1922) 170: Your ‘party’ is recruited from among sore-heads only. | |
| Main Street (1921) 258: Maybe he don’t mean to be grouchy, but he’s such a sorehead. | |
| (con. 1920s) Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 204: ‘You damn kike, you got too many horseshoes,’ a sore-head said. | |
| (con. 1944) Naked and Dead 24: Gallagher ain’t a bad guy, but he’s a sorehead. | |
| Naked Lunch (1968) 204: Sore head! He’s envious of my check. | |
| Exit 3 and Other Stories 163: Me start trouble? [...] They’re the soreheads! | |
| Carlito’s Way 124: It’s a goddam shame he’s such a sorehead. | |
| Glitter Dome (1982) 55: The other Truly Successful studio boss who had been charged by a disgruntled sorehead with embezzling studio funds. | |
| Drop Dead, My Lovely (2005) 23: The fact that he never uncovered anything important seemed [...] like a debater’s point for soreheads. | |
| (con. 1954) Tomato Can Comeback [ebook] Sorry I was a sore-head before [...] gues you’re okay. |