north. and Sc. Also 5 sowe, 8–9 dial. soo, 9 soue. [Of obscure origin.]
1. trans. To affect (a person) with pain; to pain or grieve sorely. Usu. with sore.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6568. Mikel i haf trauaild for yow … Þat suilk a godd all honurs now Þat will yow her-after sare sow.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems (ed. Hall), v. 12. When he sailed in þe Swin it sowed him sare.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxvii. (Vincent), 292. Thinkand he mycht na payne mare do til hyme to sow hyme sare.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 2313. And þai said, soure suld him sowe bot he þe cite ȝeld.
2. intr. To be painful; to thrill or tingle with pain or exertion.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Chron., VIII. 6224. Qwhen he a qwhile had prekyt þar, And sum of þaim he gert sow sare.
1438. Bk. Alexander Grt. (Bann.), 87. The sydis of sum may sowe full sair.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 258. Thair scharp schutting maid sydis for till sow.
a. 1586. in Pinkerton, Anc. Sc. Poems (1786), 201. Scho gars me murne,… And with sair straiks scho gars me sow.
1885. F. Gordon, Pyotshaw, 297. D—’nt! if that bit race hisna set my lugs a’ sooin’!
3. absol. To produce a tingling sensation.
1796. W. H. Marshall, Yorksh. (ed. 2), II. 346. To Soo, to pain the hand, in striking with a hammer or beetle: to jar.
1876. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., s.v. Soo.… It soues up my arm.
Sow, obs. 1st and 3rd sing. ind. pa. t. SEE v.
Sow, obs. form of SEW v., SUE v.
