From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsoresore1 /sɔː $ sɔːr/ ●●● S3 adjective 1 MIHURT/CAUSE PAINa part of your body that is sore is painful, because of infection or because you have used a muscle too much I had a sore throat and aching limbs.sore from My arms are sore from all the lifting.► see thesaurus at painful2 → sore point/spot/subject (with somebody)3 [not before noun] especially American English informalUPSETANNOY upset, angry, and annoyed, especially because you have not been treated fairly Mac’s still sore because I didn’t invite him.sore at Don’t be sore at me – I just forgot to tell you.4 [only before noun] British EnglishSERIOUS SITUATION used to emphasize how serious, difficult etc something is Inner city schools are in sore need of extra funds.5 → sore loser6 → stick/stand out like a sore thumb → be like a bear with a sore head at bear2(3), → a sight for sore eyes at sight1(14)
Examples from the Corpus
sore• They would do this for hours until my neck grew sore.• The corners of the mouth may be cracked and sore and the tongue unusually red.• You have laboured up an unending hill with heavy feet which are swollen, sore and tired.• He was like Doctor Cooper poking a sore appendix.• And they were sore as a boil, and righteously so.• His eyes looked red and sore, as if he had been rubbing them.• She was sore because she wasn't asked to the wedding.• The sore, bruised, aching feeling makes him restless; always having to change position.• We knew the sore facts we had both escaped.• Martin was unable to score at all in the game, complaining of a sore knee.• The matter was not carefully investigated because Thebes was in sore straits at the time.• She missed more than ten performances that year due to a persistent sore throat and cough.• My legs are still sore today.sore throat• He was 15 and had gone to the doctor with a sore throat.• Performances had to be canceled when she had a sore throat.• You may also have a dry irritating cough, a sore throat and a runny, itchy nose.• If you have a sore throat, are you blocking communication?• This remedy may come up after a Belladonna sore throat has gone down on the chest.• He swallowed, checking for a sore throat, his ears.• Severe sore throats persisting more than a day or two in a young child without signs of improvement.• If you've got a cold or sore throat, they can advise which over-the-counter medicines to take.soresore2 noun [countable] MIHURT/CAUSE PAINa painful, often red, place on your body caused by a wound or infection They were starving and covered with sores. → cold sore, bedsore, → running sore at running2(5)Examples from the Corpus
sore• Willie's arms and legs were covered in bruises, weals and sores.• Any sore that does not heaL Progressive changes in size or color or feeling in a wart or mole.• A fleece underblanket protects her from bed sores.• Look out for smell of solvent on breath, nose-bleeds, sores around nose and mouth, weight loss.• During the peri-operative period pressure sore should be prevented by regular changes of position.• The key opens on to a beige carpet that looks like a water poodle with burns and saddle sores.• His hands were gnarled, and his legs were covered with sores.Origin sore1 Old English sar 