Forms: α. 1 sarnys, -nis, 3 særnes, 4–5 sarnes, 4 sarenes, 6, 8– Sc. sairness. β. 4, 6 sorenes, 6 sornes, soare-, 6–7 sorenesse, 7– soreness. [OE. sárnys (f. sár SORE a.1), = OFris. sêrnesse, MHG. sêrnisse.]

1

  1.  The condition of being physically sore, in pain, or painful; pain, painfulness.

2

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. iii. 16. On sarnysse þu acenst cild. Ibid. (c. 1000), Hom., I. 122. Ure sarnyssa he sylf abær.

3

13[?].  in Leg. Rood (1871), 85. All for noght þou feynes þe, All þi sarenes will we se.

4

c. 1450.  St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 4236. Þe sarnes sone it was astaynt.

5

c. 1480.  Henryson, Sum Pract. Med., 19. Nowdir fevir,… Seiknes nor sairnes.

6

1495.  Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R. (W. de W.), V. lviii. 175. The marowe heelyth … the sorenes of the throte and of the breestes.

7

1562.  (title) Bulleins Bulwarke of defence againste all Sicknes, Sornes, and woundes.

8

1660.  Blount, Boscobel, 42. Which … serv’d to encrease rather then asswage the sorenesse of his feet.

9

1722–7.  Boyer, Dict. Royal, II. s.v., Soreness of the Eyes, Mal des yeux.

10

1808.  Med. Jrnl., XIX. 21. He complained of soreness in his mouth.

11

1876.  Bristowe, Th. & Pract. Med. (1878), 159. The soreness and inflammation of the throat subside.

12

  2.  Mental pain, distress or irritation; irritability, touchiness.

13

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. vi. 6. He … wæs ʓehrepod mid heortan sarnisse wið innan.

14

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 26377. Teres falland on þin ei Þe sarnes o þin hert to wrei.

15

1667.  Decay Chr. Piety, vii. 153. Whilest the soreness of his late pangs of conscience remains.

16

1721.  Ramsay, Keitha, 8. His face speaks out the sairness of his heart.

17

1796.  Nelson, 15 July, in Nicolas, Disp. (1845), II. 211. I congratulate you on the soreness which the French feel for your strict blockade of the Port of Toulon.

18

1832.  Lytton, Eugene A., I. x. I leave you with more soreness at my late haste than I will acknowledge.

19

1889.  Law Times, LXXXII. 243/1. The soreness incident to separation has disappeared.

20

  † 3.  Distress, trouble, misfortune. Obs.

21

c. 1205.  Lay., 13639. Ich eow wulle telle … of muche særnesse Þe isiȝen is to londe.

22

  4.  Severe or serious character.

23

a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, IV. (1598), 392. For with the sorenesse of the fall, if she had not had breath giuen her, she had deliuered a foolish soule to Pluto.

24