SORE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sore mean? 

• SORE (noun)
  The noun SORE has 1 sense:

1. an open skin infection

  Familiarity information: SORE used as a noun is very rare.

• SORE (adjective)
  The adjective SORE has 3 senses:

1. hurting

2. causing misery or pain or distress

3. roused to anger

  Familiarity information: SORE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SORE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An open skin infection

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("sore" is a kind of...):

infection (the pathological state resulting from the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sore"):

blain (an inflammatory swelling or sore)

chancre (a small hard painless nodule at the site of entry of a pathogen (as syphilis))

fester; suppurating sore (a sore that has become inflamed and formed pus)

gall (a skin sore caused by chafing)

• SORE (adjective)

Comparative: sorer   
Superlative: sorest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hurting

Synonyms:

raw; sensitive; sore; tender

Context example:

the tender spot on his jaw

Similar:

painful (causing physical or psychological pain)

Derivation:

soreness (a pain that is felt (as when the area is touched))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Causing misery or pain or distress

Synonyms:

afflictive; painful; sore

Context example:

the painful process of growing up

Similar:

unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)

Derivation:

soreness (an uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or distress)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Roused to anger

Synonyms:

huffy; mad; sore

Context example:

sore over a remark

Similar:

angry (feeling or showing anger)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Derivation:

soreness (an uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or distress)

 Context examples 

They tore up trees in their sore need, and defended themselves with them, but all that is to no purpose when a man like myself comes, who can kill seven at one blow.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

But others develop painful and unsightly cold sores that last for a week or more.

(Cold Sores, NIH)

I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes; I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you helped in the hour of her sore need.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Other symptoms include sore throat, fever, muscle weakness, headache, and joint pain.

(CFS, NCI Dictionary)

Some patients experience fever, fatigue, headaches or sore throat as well.

(Cat-Scratch Disease, NCI Thesaurus)

It is to be placed on the sore or swelling.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In most cases, the sores go away by themselves.

(Canker Sores, NIH)

Em'ly, he continued, will keep along with me—poor child, she's sore in need of peace and rest!—until such time as we goes upon our voyage.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He said it was dead, and looked at Heinrich and Minna, who have sore throats.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It was but a very few days before I had my sore throat—just before Mr. and Mrs. John Knightley came—I think the very evening.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)