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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sar(e, Sor(e, n.² Also: sair(e, sayr; soir; soare. [ME and e.m.E. sar (south-west., Layamon), sor (midl. and south., c1250), sare (north., Cursor M., Rolle), sore (Trevisa), soor(e (c1400), OE, ON sár.]

1. a. Physical pain or suffering; also, an instance of this.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 760.
He [sc. the Emperor Nero] that mycht nocht thole sic sare Ib. iii 852.
Till al thai that come thare With ony seknes ore with sare Ib. xxvii 606. c1475 Wall. xi 1402.
Feyll Sotheroun said at Wallace feld na sayr a1500 K. Hart 238.
His wound to wesche in sobering of his sair 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 341.
Suppoise the devill maid that graith … to asswage my sair, I wald have tane it(2) 1567 G. Ball. 40.
Throw sairis smart he [sc. Lazarus] had ane peirles pyne

b. A physical injury or wound; a sore place on the body, a sore caused by disease, an ulcer, etc.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xlvi 102.
Mekly vald scho wesch thar fet & with softe sawis thare saris bet 1513 Doug. xi xv 115.
A full deip wond and a grewos sayr [: thar] 1535 Stewart 6721.
Quhill thai war haillit of thair sair[is] sund, Of brokin bone and mony bludie wound a1595 Misc. Spald. C. II xxx.
Remeid for the ringworme. Tak the frothe of quheit saip and straik on the sair(b) a1500 Henr. Orph. 409 (Ch. & M.).
Hert is on the hurd and hand is on the sore 1588 King Cat. App. 26.
He … healed our languors by his sores 1591 Warrender P. (SHS) II 159.
He had to renew the mynd of melancolik persons besyds the using of his skill in haling of sores and wounds 1632 Perth Kirk S. in Chron. Perth 97.
They confessed they … use … holy words for healing of shotts and sores 1662 Crim. Trials III 609.
This we say thryse over, straiking the sor, and it becomes heall(c) a1595 Misc. Spald. C. II xxx.
Tak plaister maid of wormewod with fresche butter or hoggis creische … and presse tham togidder and la the same to the soir

c. Affliction, disease or illness, or an instance of this.If not merely further examples of above senses.(1) sing. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 411 (Ch.).
Thair is na salue may saif thé of thy sair Id. Age & Yowth 51 (M).
My self is sauf fra seiknes and fra sair [B. soir] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10210.
Had ȝe rather saue Alexanders life, And helit of sair nor haue ȝour sonnis leuand c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii 12.
Medecein His sair to cuir and dollour to remeid(b) 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 412.
There are words instituted for transferring of the sore or sicknes on other persons(2) pl. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1542.
Of the pure he wes refuge … And curit thair sairis with greit comfort a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 286/54.
And all ȝour sairris callit secreit swnȝeis 1608 Dundonald Par. Rec. 170.
The said Bessie Quhyt tauld hir that hir mother … could charme sik sairis

2. transf. and fig. In applications of sense 1. a. Mental suffering, emotional distress or affliction, or an instance of these. b. Applied to non-material things. c. In proverbs.a. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 663.
Bot all … Micht nocht ameis my greuous panefull sair a1570-86 Maitl. F. 252/12.
Albeit thow sich ane thousand syth It will nocht sauf thé of thy sair a1585 Maitl. Q. 234/30.
For no sair Nor sorrow can I soup 1603 Philotus 446.
To seik for salue of her that gaue the sair 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. v 26.
Its sche must hail my sairpl. c1420 Wynt. viii 2434.
Goddis gret pyte … That off all sarys is medycyne 1513 Doug. viii i 36.
To meys Eneas thochtis and hys sarys [L. curas] Thus he begouth to speke a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 329/9.
Ȝit tyme may cum may mend my sairis Thocht I be aldb. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1424.
Still in the sessoun all things remanit thair Perpetuallie but outher noy or sair 1571 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi in 1563-72 Tracts 62.
Tuiching that maledie and sair, quhilk … at this present maist cheifly vexis and anoyis it [sc. the Church] 1596 Dalr. I 110/31.
Sal I gar this wound sa gret bleid agane? Sal I rub vpe this aulde sair?c. 1568 Charteris Lyndesay Pref. Adhort. 59.
Flattera[r]is flok fordwart! for I [haif] hard tell, Ȝe had ane saw richt sicker for all sairis 1571 Sempill Sat. P. xxviii 106.
Than was I legat licent be the Paip With dispensatiounis, sawis for euerie sair a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 171.
Better auld debts nor auld saires a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 172.
A salve for al sairs Ib. No. 1202.
Na thing hes na sair

3. Affliction, suffering, more vaguely or generally; mental suffering, ? sadness, despondency; also, an instance of these.(1) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 257.
Efter lang pane, … Till all his sair he soucht na saw bot ane a1568 Bann. MS 38b/3.
Chryist … Salwe of all sair and sweit succour(b) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. §182.
And euery wicht his awin suete or sore [: more] Has maist in mynde Ib. §187. c1475 Wall. xi 303.
To wyn out off bondage Scotland agayn fra payn and felloun sor [: tharfor] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 6/53.
Memore of sore, stern in aurore 1604-31 Craig i 7.
I felt as lying in a sound no sore(c) c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxiii 13.
Loo, this my dame dois work my lesting soir [: thairfore](d) 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xi 31.
Lyf giwes no more To cuir my inward soare(2) a1500 Lanc. 74.
Thus al day gan be sor Of thocht my gost with torment occupy(3) 1596 Melvill 366.
The mair feilling of the soares of sinne, the graitter missoure of grace, for it is by grace that we can feill sinne sair

b. To do (another) hurt, in senses 1 and 2. c1420 Ratis R. 1333.
Fore-thi, my sone, do thaim [sc. kindness, honesty, etc.] na saire Ib. 1541.
Gyf a man had don hym sare, Lauchful ore evyne pwniscioune [etc.]

c. Expression of distress or grief (cf. 2 a above), lamentation.In to mak sare (Mak v.¹ 30 b). a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 145.
Til hyre he sad thusgat, Gret sar makand, sare pyte, Sayand: ‘wais me, douchtir, for thé [etc.]'