sore / sôr/ • adj. (of a part of one's body) painful or aching: my feet were sore and my head ached. ∎  suffering pain from a part of one's body: he was sore from the long ride. ∎  inf. upset and angry: I didn't even know they were sore at us. ∎  severe; urgent: we're in sore need of him.• n. a raw or painful place on the body: we had sores on our hands. ∎  a cause or source of distress or annoyance: there's no point raking over the past and opening old sores.• adv. archaic extremely; severely: they were sore afraid.PHRASES: sore point a subject or issue about which someone feels distressed or annoyed: the glamorous image of their paramilitary rivals was always a sore point with the police.stand (or stick) out like a sore thumb be obviously different from the surrounding people or things.DERIVATIVES: sore·ness n.

sore †bodily suffering, disease; place where the skin is broken or inflamed; †grief, trouble. OE. sār = OS., OHG. sēr (Du. zeer, G. †sehr), ON. sár, Goth. sair :- Gmc. *sairam.
So adj. (arch.) painful, grievous; painful, aching, (now) with skin inflamed, etc. OE.; pained, distressed XIII. OE. sār = OS., OHG. sēr (Du. zeer, G. sehr), ON. sárr :- Gmc. *sairaz. adv. (arch., dial.) painfully, grievously. OE. sāre = OS., OHG. sēro (Du. zeer, G. sehr greatly, very). sorely (-LY2). OE. sārlīċe.

sore (sor) n. a lay term for any ulcer or other open wound of the skin or mucous membranes. See also bedsore, soft sore.