Obs. exc. Hist. Also 5 sor, soore, 5–6 sowre, 6–7 soare, 7 sorre, 7–9 soar; Sc. 5–6 soyr, 6 soir. [a. AF. (1086 in Domesday Bk.) and OF. sor, mod.F. saur(e, Prov. saur, sor, Sp. soro, It. sauro, med.L. saurus, sorus, sorius, of undetermined origin. Cf. SORE sb.2]
1. Falconry. Applied to a hawk of the first year that has not moulted and still has its red plumage (now called a red hawk); hence applied to the plumage itself; occas. extended to other birds of prey, as the kite and eagle.
c. 1450. Godstow Register, 259. A sperehawke sowre.
c. 1481. Cely Papers (Camden), 81. The fayreste sor hawke … within aull Yngelond.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, VII. Prol. 125. The soir gled quhislis loud wyth mony ane pew.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 69. That hawke that is mewed and hath cast his soare feathers.
1596. Spenser, Hymn Heav. Beauty, 26. Of the soare faulcon so I learne to fly.
1614. Latham, Falconry, 37. The passenger soare-Faulcon is a more choice and tender hawke.
1641. Milton, Adimadv., Wks. 1851, III. 188. A soar-Eagle, would not stoope at a flye.
1677. Lond. Gaz., No. 1180/4. Lost upon Hunslow Heath,… a Sore Tassel Gentle, with the Kings Varvels.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. s.v. Falco, The third [name] is the soar hawk, so called in September, October, and November.
1779. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 2), IV. 2901/2. If it be a soar-falcon,… she will indeed be harder to reclaim.
1852. [see SORAGE].
fig. 1614. Tomkis, Albumazar, III. iv. Fully mued From brown soar feathers of dull yeomanry, To th’ glorious bloom of gentry.
† 2. Of a horse: Of a reddish-brown color. Obs. Cf. SORREL a. a.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 76. Fayer stedes in the stallus, Lyard and soore.
c. 1480. Henryson, Test. Cress., 211 (Charteris). Four ȝokkit steidis…. The first was soyr, with Mane als reid as Rois.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, XII. Prol. 27. Eous the steid … Abuf the seyis lyftis furth his heid, Of cullour soyr.
1564. in Raine, Richmondshire Wills (Surtees), 171. ij fylles, a dappell graye and a sowre baye.
1679. Claverhouse, in Lauderdale Papers (1885), III. xcv. 165. With a pitch fork they made … an opening in my sorre horses belly.
