were (root: be)

POS

Verb (usu participle)

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CIDE DICTIONARY

were, v. t. & i.

To wear. See 3d Wear. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

were, n.

A weir. See Weir. Chaucer. Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster]

were, v. t. [AS. werian.].

To guard; to protect. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

were, [AS. w (thou) wast, w (we, you, they) were, w imp. subj. See Was.].

The imperfect indicative plural, and imperfect subjunctive singular and plural, of the verb be. See Be. [1913 Webster]

were, n. [AS. wer; akin to OS. & OHG. wer, Goth. waír, L. vir, Skr. vīra. Cf. Weregild, and Werewolf.].

A man. [1913 Webster]

A fine for slaying a man; the money value set upon a man's life; weregild. [1913 Webster]
"Every man was valued at a certain sum, which was called his were." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

were, 2nd sing. past, pl. past, and past subj. of BE.