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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Sar(e, Sor(e, adv. Also: sair(e, sayr(e; sear; ser; soir(e, soyr; soar. [Early and north. ME sare (Layamon), sare, sair (Cursor M.), midl. and south. ME and e.m.E. sore (c1200), OE sáre.]

1. a. Of the infliction of physical injury, as by wounding, striking, gripping, etc.: So as to cause great injury and/or pain; severely; painfully; seriously, badly. Also proverb. and fig.Very common with wound v.(a) 1375 Barb. ii 354.
Feyle men dede and woundyt sar Ib. xvii 733. a1400 Leg. S. iii 613.
And with scharpe schurgis befte rycht sare Ib. xi 311.
Thane the edryse bate tham sa sare, Til [etc.] Ib. xii 288.
& resone wald that his throt ware Vith a snar cord hangyt ful sare Fra quham be tresone com that voice That [etc.] Ib. xiii 82.
As the bochoure wes mendand The scho, he hwrte rycht sare his hand Ib. xxxvii 256.
The tormentouris … Tuk yrne kamys that bat sare c1420 Wynt. v 4373.
Sare woundyt 1456 Hay II 151/1.
The fader and the moder wald have lerit him thair craft and dang him oft rycht sare thareto Id. Alex. 3191.
Throw his hawbrek he woundit him full sare a1450 Fifteen Ois 43.
Buffat and scurgit at ane pillar, With rude knoppis smytand sair, And vthir mony innomarabill pane 1533 Boece 66b, etc.(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxii 647.
Sayre a1500 Henr. Fab. 790 (H).
Fle this suddane schot Quhilk smytis sair [Bann. soir] withoutin resistence c1475 Wall. xi 175.
Sayr a1500 Seven S. 438.
Scho bait him sair so did he hir a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1041.
Thai band him sair quhill his fingeris wer haw 1596 Dalr. II 328/12.
In this battel Chappel is strukne … with a brasen nale, his heid il birst and sair hurt(c) 1460 Hay Alex. 3194.
Tholome also was woundit sore [: befoir] a1500 Lanc. 2148.
And to Sir Gawane thei haith o lytter maad, Ful sore ywound c1475 Wall. vii 443.
Na grettar payne mycht be Than thai with in insufferit sor to duell 1513 Doug. x xiv 12. 15.. Clar. iv 2118.
He … pullit at the arrow … The knight full sore [ed. sorelie] schrinkit at the stound(d) 1549 Compl. 64/26.
The breir byndis me soir 1570 Leslie 96.
The Inglis men being sa soir handilit thairat [sc. in the battle]compar. a1400 Leg. S. xi 417.
Before the houre fare sarare we Ar brynte thane [etc.] 1513 Doug. xi xiv 72.
Evir the sarar this ern strenys hys gryp 1533 Boece 166b.
Wemen … , the sarare thai war woundit, war mare egir in cruelte 15.. Christis Kirk 164 (M).
The far sarar it sat himsuperl. 1591-2 Rob Stene 11.
The grewhound … The sarest bytar of that menȝieproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 33.
An old hound bytes sair Ib. No. 388.
He is sairest dung when his awn wand dings him Ib. No. 550.
Its a sair dung bairn that dare not greit a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1007.
Kem sindle, kem sair, they are evil eased kemmis ilk day Ib. No. 1433.
The emot bytes sairer nor the clokfig. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 441.
Thi teris brynis me so sare That in hel leware me ware c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2525.
Sic a tempest sodanly Ourtuke ws and so sore gan smyte That [etc.] 1456 Hay II 132/7.
The wyndis ar scharp and snell and sare bytand a1500 Henr. Fab. 535, etc. 1492 Myll Spect. 282/21. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxx 33.
Lord hald thy hand that strikken hes so soir 1535 Stewart 13862.
Quhen ane man is in penuritie It [sc. avarice] sowis soir without saturitie Ib. 26197.
And luiffis dart thirlit his hart so soir Ib. 43394.
The stang of conscience broddit him so soir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6325.
Quhair pryde hes credence … he [sc. God] scurges sair 1567 G. Ball. 127.

b. Of the effect of disease or other bodily affliction or injurious agent: Severely, grievously; painfully. 1375 Barb. xiv 432 (C).
Thame hungerit alsua weill sair a1400 Leg. S. xxix 521. Ib. xxxii 284.
Thare-for my-self on wil fare & with feile feuir wond hire sare 1456 Hay I 225/22.
Na man wald be content that ony othir lettit him to visyte his childe and he war sare seke a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 776.
Now Dede … him handillis full sair in euery part c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 123/7.
Quhiddir is it mereit mair To gif him drink that thristis sair Ib. 196/16.
Grit pane and wo … thay suffir sair for us Ib. 72/3. 1531 Bell. Boece II 123.
The gout … fel so sare in his juncturis and lethis of his body 1533 Boece 168.
Lucius Anthenous legate, sare with infirmite vexit 1534 St. P. Henry VIII V 14.
I wes sayr handillit witht ane suddane sairnes on my kne 1535 Stewart 15106.
This Lucius … With eild and seiknes viseit wes so soir Ib. 35751.
This king Duffus with greit infirmitie Soir vexit wes 1596 Dalr. I 151/1. 1587-99 Hume 44/108.
Was he [sc. Job] nocht sair with byles and bruiks and pouertie opprest? c1650 Spalding I 151.
Bot Doctour Ross micht not flie, becaus he wes lying sore seiksuperl. 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 4.
Thairefter the humoris, puttand sairest at the naturall humiditie of the hart

c. With verbs of punishing, tormenting, harassing: Severely.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 398.
Thai wikit men avysit ware Hou thai wald punyse hym sarare Ib. vi 87.
Sare Ib. xi 214.
Sar 1456 Hay II 146/35.
And [princis] salbe fer sairar punist of thair faultis 1490 Irland Mir. II 55/26. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1227 (Asl.).
Quhilk fyre … sall saire pvnis baith body & the spreit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1619.(2) ?1438 Alex. i 1625.
Thair shot was great and greauit thame sare c1420 Wynt. ii 398.
How thai ware Anoyid in tyll Egypt sare 1513 Doug. xiii i 72.
The Troian pepill sair trublit hes thow c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 317/5. 1567 Sat. P. iv 66. 1567 G. Ball. 41. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 227 (W).
Soire

d. To by (an action) sare, to pay dearly for, in physical suffering. 1375 Barb. xviii 514.
War it nocht that he war Sic a catyve he suld by sar Hys wordys that war swa angry a1400 Leg. S. xix 314.
Cristine gyf I ne ware, Thu suld by that strak [ful] sare

e. (To bleed) to a grievous extent, grievously. c1475 Wall. v 69.
Mony off thaim war bledand wondyr sar

2. a. Of armed conflict, a combatant, etc.: Fiercely, ferociously. Also proverb. 1375 Barb. xvi 395.
[He] bad thaim … schut hardely Amang thar fayis and sow thaim sar [H. saile them saire] c1420 Wynt. vii 1980.
A batell fell Wes dwne bathe sare, and scharpe, and snell a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 574.
Sadly and sair, Thoght thai war astonait, in that stour stithly thai stude c1475 Wall. xi 98.
Full feill thai slew that sarest on thaim socht Ib. 406. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 311/90. a1578 Pitsc. I 97/16 (I).
[Wpoun the] plaice sarest chairgit 1596 Dalr. II 193/16.
Tha brashte it sa sair that the vtter barnkin wal tha wanproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 77.
As sair [MS sor] fights wranes as cranes

b. Of pursuit: Fiercely, closely, hard. Also fig. c1475 Wall. vii 698.
Wpon Wallace thai folowed wondyr sayr 1513 Doug. xi xiii 167.
The happy goishalk … With swyft weyngis persewis wonder sair The silly dowfig. 1513 Doug. i v 25.
Bot ȝit the sammyn myschance persewis thame sayr

3. With expressions of fear, dread, anxiety, doubt, astonishment: Dreadfully, terribly, to an extreme degree; greatly.For further examples see Drede v. 2 and 3. 1375 Barb. ii 453.
Sa dred thai sar the gayne-cummyng Off Schyr Robert Ib. v 201.
Bot thai war skownrand wonder sar Sa fer in-to Scotland for to far Ib. i 440.
Sayr ?1438 Alex. i 2062.
For thay war thair Stonyit, and that richt wonder sair c1420 Wynt. ii 1101.
Thai dowtyt sare that he walde wyn Thare landys 1456 Hay I 224/17.
The burges, the quhilk is sare disesit of his barne, takis hede to na weris a1500 Henr. Fab. 319.
I may not eit, sa sair I am agast c1475 Wall. v 664.
Sor 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 759 (E).
Thir feirfull wonders gart me dreid full soir Id. Æn. ii ii 68.
Vlixes … With new crymys begouth affray me sair 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3338.
Nor ȝit my deid sa sair I not suspekkit 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 129.
Quhairat the said regent and lordis wer sair amazed a1578 Pitsc. I 405/8.
The Inglischemen was soir agaist at the comming of the Scottis men 1588 Crim. Trials I ii 163.
The guid nychtbouris … come verry feirfull sumtymes, and fleit hir verry sair 1596 Dalr. I 77/21.
Thay feired nocht litle, bot verie sair, that … al sulde succeid verie ill c1650 Spalding I 194.
Whairat the toune of Elgin wes sore effrayit

4. With verbs of a. Causing, b. Feeling, and c. Expressing, grief, sorrow, regret, shame or repentance: Sorrowfully, bitterly, greatly, intensely. Also proverb.a. ?1438 Alex. ii 4749 (see Greve v. 3 (a)). 1460 Hay Alex. 1606.
Thus throw the body he lay stikit thaire At quhilk Nicolas his hart was grevit sairb. 1375 Barb. ix 469 (C).
I trow weill … that him sair repent sall he, That [etc.] ?1438 Alex. ii 3130.
My hart it wald haue mislykit sare c1450-2 Howlat 524 (A).
That thai war samyn ourset thairfor I murn sore c1475 Wall. ix 194.
All helpyt nocht thocht I repentyt full sor a1500 Bk. Chess 1559.
And of this talk the king schamit richt saire To pvnis hir [etc.] a1508 Want of Wyse Men 54 (B).
Grit God is grevit, that me rycht soir forthinkis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 18/87. 1535 Stewart 17059. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2254.
That ȝe haif gottin my grote full sair I rew Ib. 2691. c1552 Id. Mon. 598. 1567 G. Ball. 177.
Baneist is faith now euerie quhair, And sair forthinkis me 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 42.
Quhilk [sc. Dumbarton Castle] was givin over be appoyntment; quhilk doing thaj rewit full sair for the governour never keipit ane word of his promessis 1600-1610 Melvill 24.
I begoude to weirie soar of my lyff Ib. 43.
But his hart bet him thairefter oft and sear, that he sould haiff … usit a piece of dissimulation Ib. 313.
Bot trewlie quhilk [sc. events] my hart pitied fallon sear Ib. 366 (see Sar(e n.² 3 (3)).c. a1400 Leg. S. i 102.
He fel one hym, gretande ful sare ?1438 Alex. ii 124.
And with his ene sair coud he weip c1420 Wynt. ii 1446. 1460 Hay Alex. 3595.
He sobbit and he sighit sare a1500 Henr. Orph. 127.
Quhen scho had said, the king sichit full sore a1500 Colk. Sow ii 117.
So soir the silly pig quhrynit 1513 Doug. ii xii 15.
The ȝyng childring … Stude al on raw … Abowt the tresour quhymperand wondir sayr 1535 Stewart 39858.
Tha crabit on euerie syde so soir, Accusand vther 1567 Sat. P. iii 3.
Ane bony boy was soir makand his mone 1574 Davidson Three Reformers 117.
That they may sare lament his dead 1596 Dalr. I 323/29.
A woman … complainting sair, that the erle … had slayne her housband 1639 Bk. Pasquils 80.
I harde two kealwyffes sore complaine 16.. Herries Mem. 74.
These conceats … made him soar sigheproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 578.
Gute, gravel [etc.] … garris manie person grone ful sore

5. With verbs of a. Aggrieving, angering, vexing or annoying: Severely, greatly. 1375 Barb. v 230.
For it anoyis me wondyr sar [: ar] [etc.] Ib. vi 6 (C).
Tharfor anoyit sair [E. swa] he wes ?1438 Alex. ii 4222.
And the knychtis war wraithit sare ?14.. Ship Laws c. 27 (B).
Gyf ony debate be amang the schypmen … and thai be sare grevit the maystyr aw to … ger it be amendyt 1460 Hay Alex. 2206.
He belevit That he the goddis rycht sair haid agrevit And maid his testament and his devise Ib. 1959 (see 7 a (a)). 1513 Doug. xi xiii 136.
Scho than als hait as fyre, Aggrevit sor, inflambit in felloun ire c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 584. 1570 Leslie 164.
The King of Scotland being sare movit in his minde for that his nobilyte wald not consent to invade Ingland [etc.] 1596 Dalr. II 313/9.
The Duke of Somersate sair offendet that his horsmen had gottin sik a brashe

b. Accusation, condemnation, reproach or threat: Severely, harshly. a1500 Lanc. 1659.
Bot schortly thei sall be sar accusit c1475 Wall. iv 715.
[They] Accusyt hir sar of resset in that cas a1500 Bk. Chess 1269.
A wyf repruffit him richt sor That he was borne bot of a bastardis blud 1535 Stewart 24899.
This Wortigerne thairof soir blamit he c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 300.
Auerrois … Repreuvit sair Aristotell and sour Id. Seven S. 2062.
Wa worth thy wit, thy banis he may sair ban a1570-86 Maitl. F. 240/3. 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 45.
Sair boistit thay my husband commoun-weill

c. Disapproval, displeasure, envy, etc.: Strongly, greatly. 1567 G. Ball. 181.
Thair huredome haitit He rycht sair a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 22/50.
For gif thow do thow sall be sair invyit a1585 Arbuthnot Maitl. Q. 122/107.
And pauchtie pryide richt sair I doe detest c1580 Q. Mary in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 9.
My poor boy as sor enuied as euuer I was 1596 Dalr. I 258/17.
Quhilke quhen the queine harde [she] was sair displeiset Ib. 283/2.
The Inglismen, sair discontent, … prouokis him to battell Ib. 308/21.
Quhome wicked personis inviet sa sair

6. With verbs of working or expending effort: Hard, diligently; with great effort or strength, strongly. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1089.
Sore laubouryng tyll thy browis sweit 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 517.
He is ane pover young man laubourand and travelland sair for his leving a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 765.
He that wrings sair, thirsts out blude 1662 Crim. Trials III 605.
His wyff … vrought it [sc. clay] werie sore, lyk rye-bowt

7. a. With other verbs, more or less as a simple intensifier: Severely, strongly, greatly.(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 1960.
The baudrik brak … Than was King Alexander rycht sair agrevit That he his armour haid sa sair apprevit 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 472.
I wonder sair and fast in mind did stair Id. Æn. iv ix 41.
Ful sayr constrenyt am I Art magyk to excers or sossary 1547–9 Liber Offic. S. Andree 139.
I faillit ser to ȝow and ȝour wiff calling you ane cukcald 15.. Dum Wyf 27. 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 112.
Ane vther quair … Anents wemen, not tuitching thame sa sair Ib. 34.
It did abound sa sair in deidly sin 1587-99 Hume 34/4.
Why art thou thus with thought ou'r-set sa saire? 1596 Dalr. I 98/10.
Of quhais burning thay ar nocht sair solist 1600-1610 Melvill 147.
In releiving of his mikle and sear occupied mynd(b) c1475 Wall. iv 536.
Sor mowit in his entent His fadris dede to wenge him giff he mocht a1500 Bk. Chess 1612.
Nocht to paye and to be craiffit sor Mor schame it is than [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 155/153.
Off all sic wirdis he wes full dum, So soir he wes agast 1567 G. Ball. 37.
I knaw that I haif sinnit soir Ib. 61.
I grant that I haif faultit sore To stok and stane geuand his glore a1568 Bann. MS 221b/9.
That sycht Quhair I haif set my hairt so foley soir a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. 164/34.
Bot euer moir Tormentit soir In hellis fyire 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XI 596.
[If I get no relief [sc. of debts] at this Whit Sunday I am] soir wrakkit c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxiv 98.
The fyre with heitt … Dois sor consume and burne 1616 Haddington Corr. 132.
We ar sore bwssiett with executiounisproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 119.
A gentil horse sould not be over sair spurred

b. Common with Lang v.¹ 1, q.v. for further examples. 1533 Boece 124.
His dochter … langing sare to se hir fader 1535 Stewart 60518.
To speik with hir he langit wonder soir

c. (Placed) in, or (thrown) into, severe straits or difficulty; (to press) hard (upon). 1375 Barb. iii 363.
To think On the king that wes sa sar stad That bot [twa hunder] with him had a1568 Scott xx 20.
Quhat kin thing wes lufe, Quhilk now settis thé so sair 1596 Dalr. I 84/15.
How sair saevir the weiris had ouirthrawin thame

8. Greatly, much (aganis one's will). 1535 Stewart 23245.
Suppois it was richt soir aganis thair will 1567 Sat. P. iii 232. 1572 Knox VI 483.
I am troubled, and that soir aganis the desyre of my inward man 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 107.
This deliuerance [sc. the surrender of Edinburgh castle] wes maid sair aganes the will of the inhabitantis Ib. 119. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 449. 1644 Sc. Eccles. Soc. 306.

9. a. (Burdened or encumbered) grievously, greatly. Also fig. 1513 Doug. vi v 132.
In hevy wayt frog stad and chargyt soyr [L. gravatum] a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 64 (L).
Sum [sc. bees] sueitlie hes the hony socht Quhill thay war claggit soirfig. 1567 G. Ball. 220.
With sinnis I am laidnit soir

b. Of mental oppression or the like: Grievously, heavily. c1475 Wall. i 439.
Sone, thir tythings sytts me sor 1535 Stewart 32051.
Tha saw appeir sa grit perrell thairin, Be ane exempill quhilk sat thame richt soir Ib. 42021.
Thair deid so soir it lay into his thocht 1554 Knox III 155.
[He] never despyseth the sobbis of the soir afflictit 1587-99 Hume 107/31.
The trouble of the spirit wil oftimes … trouble the whole estate of man: as though he were takin with sum agonie or sharp fevar. … every man whom the Lord so visits, will not bee alike sore troubled … but … according to the modificatioun of the Lord