Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WERE, v. [pron. wer, which when prolonged, becomes ware.]

This is used as the imperfect tense plural of be; we were, you were, they were; and in some other tenses. It is the Danish verb værer, to be, to exist, Sw. vara, and in origin has no connection with be, nor with was. It is united with be, to supply its want of tenses, as went is with go.