Obs. Forms: 1 wer, 2–3 were. [Common Teutonic: OE. wer = OFris., OS., OHG. wer, ON. and Icel. verr, Goth. wair = L. vir, OIr. fer (Gael. fear), W. gŵr, related to Lith. vyras, Skr. vīrá, man, hero.]
1. A male person; a man.
Beowulf, 993. Fela þæra wæs wera and wifa. Ibid., 1352. Oðer … on weres wæstmum wræclastas træd.
c. 909. Laws Ælfred, § 21. Ʒif oxa ofhnite wer oððe wif.
971. Blickl. Hom., 11. Salomones reste wæs … ymbseted … mid syxtiʓum werum.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 156. Þeos ylce wyrt ʓedeþ þæt æʓþer ʓe wera ʓe wifa feax wexeþ.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 111. Wisdom biriseð weran. Ibid., 131. Bitwuxe were and wife nes nefre mare mon þenne he.
c. 1200. Ormin, 7615. Þatt hallȝhe were Symeon Himm toc bitwenenn arrmess.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 532. And on ðe sexte hundred ȝer Wimmen welten weres mester. Ibid., 3977. So was ðis were to wunder broȝt, ðhoȝ ðe asse spac, friȝtede he noȝt.
2. A husband.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. x. § 1. Heora wif … sædon … hie him woldon oðerra wera ceosan.
a. 900. Laws Ælfred-Ine, § 38 (title), Be ðon ðe rihtʓesamhiwan bearn habban, ond ðonne se wer ʓewite.
971. Blickling Hom., 185. Wif ic lærde þæt hie heora weras lufedan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Exod. xxi. 22. Bete swa micel swa ðæs wifes wer ʓyrnð.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 31. Ne lipnie wif to hire were, ne were to his wiue.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 7. Hire latere were … lesse haueð þen hauede ear hire earre.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1341. For god wif may … Bet luuyen hire owe were, Þan on oþer hire copinere.
c. 1275. Wom. Samaria, 30, in O. E. Misc., 85. Go and clepe þine were and cumeþ hider y-mene.
