were transitive or intransitive verb To wear. See 3d Wear. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Were, noun A weir. See Weir. [Obs.] Chaucer. Sir P. Sidney.

Were, transitive verb [AS. werian.] To guard; to protect. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Were (wẽr; 277). [AS. wǣre (thou) wast, wǣron (we, you, they) were, wǣre imp. subj. See Was.] The imperfect indicative plural, and imperfect subjunctive singular and plural, of the verb be. See Be.

Were (wēr), noun [AS. wer; akin to OS. & OHG. wer, Goth. waír, L. vir, Skr. vīra. Cf. Weregild, and Werewolf.]

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's unabridged 1913