sorely

English

Etymology

From Middle English sorely, from Old English sārlīċ (adjective), sārlīċe (adverb); equivalent to sore +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: sôrʹlē, IPA^(key): /ˈsɔɹli/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔːli/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) enPR: sōrʹlē, IPA^(key): /ˈso(ː)ɹli/
• (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /ˈsoəli/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)li

Adverb

sorely (comparative more sorely, superlative most sorely)

1. In a sore or desperate manner.
   • 2026 February 4, Richard Wilcock, “Northern Powerhouse Rail still delivers more questions than answers”, in RAIL, number 1054, page 22:

     But the decision to electrify north of Sheffield just months after the government 'paused' the Midland Main Line electrification scheme from Leicester to Sheffield illustrates the lack of clear vision or decision-making that the railways sorely need.

2. Very, extremely.
   • 1980, Stephen King, The Mist, Viking Press:

     He said he wanted it [the picture] for his study. I would not let him have it, and he went away sorely puzzled.

   • 2011 October 29, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3 - 5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     If Chelsea hoped this blow would have a detrimental effect on Arsenal, they were to be sorely mistaken as the Gunners surged forward after the restart.

Collocations

Some verbs commonly collocating with sorely:

• sorely miss
• sorely lack
• sorely need

Some adjectives commonly collocating with sorely:

• sorely tempted
• sorely missed

Translations

in a sore or desperate manner

• Russian: глубоко (ru) (gluboko), тяжко (ru) (tjažko), очень (ru) (očenʹ)

Anagrams

• Roleys, Loreys, Royles, Sorley, Reylos

Middle English

Alternative forms

• sorliche, sarlice, sarrelich, soreli, sær-liche, sarely, serely, sorelyche

Etymology

From Old English sārlīċe; equivalent to sore +‎ -ly (adverbial suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɔːrliː/, /ˈsɛːrliː/, /ˈsɔːrliːtʃ(ə)/

Adverb

sorely

1. strongly, forcefully; in a cruel manner.
2. extremely, totally, very; by a lot.
3. (rare) unhappily, glumly, bitterly; in a sad manner.
4. (rare) lamentably, sorrily; in a miserable or sorry manner
5. (rare) While hurt or injured.

Descendants

• English: sorely

References

• “sōrlī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 10 June 2018.