ZebraWords.com - The Definition of 'Were', Synonyms of 'Were' & More on 'Were'

1. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Were \Were\, v. t. & i.
   To wear. See 3d Wear. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
   [1913 Webster]

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Were \Were\, n.
   A weir. See Weir. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Sir P. Sidney.
   [1913 Webster]

3. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Were \Were\, v. t. [AS. werian.]
   To guard; to protect. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
   [1913 Webster]

4. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Were \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]

5. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Were \Were\ (w[=e]r), n. [AS. wer; akin to OS. & OHG. wer, Goth.
   wa['i]r, L. vir, Skr. v[imac]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.]
      [1913 Webster]

            Every man was valued at a certain sum, which was
            called his were.                      --Bosworth.
      [1913 Webster]

6. Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

WERE. The name of a fine among the Saxons imposed upon a murderer. 
     2. The life of every man, not excepting that of the king himself, was 
estimated at a certain price, which was called the were, or vestimatio 
capitis. The amount varied according to the dignity of the person murdered. 
The price of wounds was also varied according to the nature of the wound, or 
the member injured.

Common Misspellings >