Were — and wer are archaic terms for adult male humans and were often used for alliteration with wife as were and wife in Germanic speaking cultures (Old English were , German Wehr , Gothic waír , Old Frisian wer , Old Saxon wer , Old High German wer ,… … Wikipedia
Were — (w[ e]r; 277). [AS. w[=ae]re (thou) wast, w[=ae]ron (we, you, they) were, w[=ae]re imp. subj. See {Was}.] The imperfect indicative plural, and imperfect subjunctive singular and plural, of the verb be. See {Be}. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Were — (w[=e]r), n. [AS. wer; akin to OS. & OHG. wer, Goth. wa[ i]r, L. vir, Skr. v[=i]ra. Cf. {Weregild}, and {Werewolf}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A man. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. A fine for slaying a man; the money value set upon a man s life; weregild. [Obs … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
were — O.E. wæron (past plural indicative of wesan) and wære (second person singular past indicative); see WAS (Cf. was). The forms illustrate Verner s Law (named for Danish linguist Karl Verner, 1875), which predicts the s to z sound shift, and… … Etymology dictionary
Were — Were, v. t. & i. To wear. See 3d {Wear}. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Were — Were, n. A weir. See {Weir}. [Obs.] Chaucer. Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Were — Were, v. t. [AS. werian.] To guard; to protect. [Obs.] Chaucer. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Were — Were, s. Gewere … Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon
Were — Were, s.v.w. Gewere … Kleines Konversations-Lexikon
were — [wə strong wə: $ wər strong wə:r] [: Old English; Origin: wAre, wAron, wAren] the past tense of ↑be … Dictionary of contemporary English
were — the past tense of be … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
