were Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
    be.
    • John is rich
    • This is not a good answer
  2. verb be identical to; be someone or something
    be.
    • The president of the company is John Smith
    • This is my house
  3. verb occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere
    be.
    • Where is my umbrella?" "The toolshed is in the back
    • What is behind this behavior?
  4. verb have an existence, be extant
    be; exist.
    • Is there a God?
  5. verb happen, occur, take place; this was during the visit to my parents' house"
    be.
    • I lost my wallet
    • There were two hundred people at his funeral
    • There was a lot of noise in the kitchen
  6. verb be identical or equivalent to
    be; equal.
    • One dollar equals 1,000 rubles these days!
  7. verb form or compose
    constitute; represent; be; comprise; make up.
    • This money is my only income
    • The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance
    • These constitute my entire belonging
    • The children made up the chorus
    • This sum represents my entire income for a year
    • These few men comprise his entire army
  8. verb work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
    be; follow.
    • He is a herpetologist
    • She is our resident philosopher
  9. verb represent, as of a character on stage
    embody; be; personify.
    • Derek Jacobi was Hamlet
  10. verb spend or use time
    be.
    • I may be an hour
  11. verb have life, be alive
    be; live.
    • Our great leader is no more
    • My grandfather lived until the end of war
  12. verb to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form
    be.
    • let her be
  13. verb be priced at
    be; cost.
    • These shoes cost $100

WordNet


Were transitive verb & intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To wear. See 3d Wear. Obs. Chaucer.
Were noun
Definitions
  1. A weir. See Weir. Obs. Chaucer. Sir P. Sidney.
Were transitive verb
Etymology
AS. werian.
Definitions
  1. To guard; to protect. Obs. Chaucer.
Were
Etymology
AS. wre (thou) wast, wron (we, you, they) were, wre imp. subj. See Was.
Definitions
  1. The imperfect indicative plural, and imperfect subjunctive singular and plural, of the verb be. See Be.
Were noun
Etymology
AS. wer; akin to OS. & OHG. wer, Goth. waír, L. vir, Skr. vira. Cf. Weregild, and Werewolf.
Definitions
  1. A man. Obs.
  2. A fine for slaying a man; the money value set upon a man's life; weregild. Obs.
    Every man was valued at a certain sum, which was called his were. Bosworth.

Webster 1913