sore adj.1
(mainly US) angry, irritated.
 | Greenock Advertiser 15 June 4/1: ‘“Bunt” was sore on him [...] for he had put him away twice before [...] in the jug. Sent him up’. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | (con. c.1840) Huckleberry Finn 44: The judge he felt kind of sore. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Oct. 11/2: Woof, a Gloucestershire trundler, takes liberties with batsmen sometimes and Lancashire cricketers are naturally ‘sore’ with Lord ’Arris for putting away their man, while the Southern professional is allowed to hurl the ball in whatever manner suits him best. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Mirror of Life 9 June 2/4: We are dead sore. | |
| Fables in Sl. (1902) 91: Of course Zoroaster and Zendavesta were very sore at having their Act killed. | |
| Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 72: I’m good an’ sore at Phil an’ that wife of his. | |
| [perf. Kate Carney] Good morning Mr Postman 🎵 Have you brought any letters for me? / [...] / If you haven’t got one then I shall feel very sore. | |
| ‘Charlie the Wolf’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 56: He’ll come out sore. Even if he’s paroled he’ll be sore. | |
| Nigger Heaven 86: You’re not sore on account of anything you’ve heard about Ronnie? | |
| We Who Are About to Die 202: If you [...] start waving dough in their faces they get sore. | |
![[Ire]](/static/img/flags/ire.png "Ireland") | At Swim-Two-Birds 130: I declare to God I am sick sore and tired telling him to stop in at night and do his lessons. | |
| Amboy Dukes 42: You’re not sore at me? | |
| (con. 1944) Prisoners of Combine D 119: You say what’s on your mind and when you’re sore you show it. | |
| Inside Daisy Clover (1966) 15: The cop got sore and accused her of making fun of him. | |
| Dear ‘Herm’ 278: I was very sore at you. | |
| Glitter Dome (1982) 169: They were still sore about having the murder case taken away from them. | |
| Indep. Rev. 1 June 1: My heart is very sore. I had hoped the court would punish this man. | |
| Guardian Guide 29 Jan.–4 Feb. 59: A nerdy Jew, sore at ‘taking a dive’ for Fiennes’ clean-cut Wasp action. | |
| ‘Lady Madeline’s Dive’ in ThugLit Sept./Oct. [ebook] ‘First you call me a thief, then you call me a traitor. You sure know how to make a girl sore’. |
In phrases
(orig. Aus.) very angry, annoyed, in various comparative phrs., incl. sore as a boil, …boiled owl, …gum boil, …pup, sore as sox, sorer than a mashed thumb.
| Blazed Trail 38: Sore as a boil, ain’t he! | |
| ‘Getting into Society’ Variety Stage Eng. Plays 🌐 I’m as sore as a woman with a swell complexion an’ four ripe pimples on her beak! | |
| City Of The World 265: The people o’ the neighbourhood have already been pretty well skun out, as the saying is, and are feeling about as sore over it as a Bank ’Oliday donkey’s back. | |
| ‘Word-List From Western Indiana’ in DN III:viii 590: sore as a boiled owl, adj. phr. Very angry. | |
| Abie the Agent 8 Dec. [synd. cartoon strip] He’ll be sore as a stubbed toe. | |
| Clear the Decks! 113: The flag loot was up first, sore as sox that his hoist had gone. | |
| Gunner Depew 91: Every man was sore as a boil when we got back. | |
| What Outfit, Buddy? 44: Course O’Rourke was sore as a boil. | |
| Downfall 255: Zeideman’s sore as a pup. | |
| ‘A Practical Joke’ in Short Stories (1937) 182: She got sore as a boil and wouldn’t go. | |
| F.O.B. Detroit 99: Herman was sorer than a mashed thumb. And he took it out on Russ. | |
| Eve. Leader (Staunton, VA) 5 Aug. 4/1: Our brethren in the Midwest [...] are sore as boils because they do not care to share their gasoline with us. | |
| From Here to Eternity (1998) 574: I’m sore as a boil, and I feel about as popular as a dildoe in a virgins’ convent. | |
| Jeeves in the Offing 27: She would, as you say, be as sore as a gum-boil. | |
| (con. WWII) And Then We Heard The Thunder (1964) 59: You’re going to be as sore as a boil in the morning. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
(US) a native of Virginia.
| ‘Mid Atlantic RACES Coordination Net – 60 meter’ posting 1 Oct. on eHam.net 🌐 Since I’m a soreback, I know that RACES in the Commonwealth of Virginia is now a private non-profit corporation and NOT the RACES that the government has that is covered in Part 97. |
(W.I.) any unsightly, continually bandaged sore, irrespective of its position on the body.
![[WI]](/static/img/flags/wi.png "West Indies") | cited in Dict. Carib. Eng. Usage (1996). |
a derog. term for an British Asian.
| Fresh Rabbit 61: In normal slang an Asian is known among other things as a ‘sorefoot’. |
(Ulster) a very thick sandwich of bread and jam.
| Slanguage. |
1. a sausage.
| Sl. and Its Analogues. |
2. plum pudding.
| London Characters 345: A slice of ‘plum-duff’ [...] a ‘pen’orth of sore leg’. | |
| Sl. and Its Analogues. |
(Ulster) a troublesome person.
| Slanguage. |
(US milit.) a cavalryman.
| Sarjint Larry an’ Frinds 59: And it was de supprised lot of sorerumps da we now come up to. |
In phrases
see under dressed adj.
(US Und.) to have a good time.
| Glance at N.Y. II iii: I’m bound to take her to Waxhall to-night; we’re goin’ up to have a sore eye there. |
see separate entry.