Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [wur; unstressed wer; British also wair]
- /wɜr; unstressed wər; British also wɛər/
- /wɜːr/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [wur; unstressed wer; British also wair]
- /wɜr; unstressed wər; British also wɛər/
Definitions of were word
- verb were a 2nd person singular pt. indicative, plural past indicative, and past subjunctive of be. 2
- noun were Second-person singular simple past tense indicative of be. 2
- noun were be: subjunctive 2
Information block about the term
Origin of were
First appearance:
before 1000 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English; Old English wǣre past subjunctive, wǣre past indicative 2nd person singular and wǣron past indicative plural of wesan to be; cognate with Dutch, German waren, Danish var. See was
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Were
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
were popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
were usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for were
verb were
- existed — Simple past tense and past participle of exist.
- lived — having life, a life, or lives, as specified (usually used in combination): a many-lived cat.
- coexisted — Simple past tense and past participle of coexist.
- abode — Your abode is the place where you live.
- acted — anything done, being done, or to be done; deed; performance: a heroic act.
Antonyms for were
verb were
- ceased — to stop; discontinue: Not all medieval beliefs have ceased to exist.
- departed — Departed friends or relatives are people who have died.
- died — to cease to live; undergo the complete and permanent cessation of all vital functions; become dead.
- discontinued — to put an end to; stop; terminate: to discontinue nuclear testing.
- forsook — a simple past tense of forsake.
Top questions with were
- when we were young?
- when we were young lyrics?
- when were jesus born?