Definition of WAS

was

Meanings

Noun

  • a state in northwestern United States on the Pacific

Verb

  • have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
  • be identical to; be someone or something
  • occupy a certain position or area; be somewhere
  • have an existence, be extant
  • happen, occur, take place
    • "I lost my wallet; this was during the visit to my parents' house"
    • "There was a lot of noise in the kitchen"
  • be identical or equivalent to
  • form or compose
    • "The stone wall was the backdrop for the performance"
  • work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
  • represent, as of a character on stage
    • "Derek Jacobi was Hamlet"
  • spend or use time
  • have life, be alive
  • to remain unmolested, undisturbed, or uninterrupted -- used only in infinitive form
  • be priced at
  • first-person singular simple past indicative of be.
  • third-person singular simple past indicative of be.
  • Used in phrases with existential there when the semantic subject is (usually third-person) plural.
  • second-person singular simple past indicative of be; were.
  • first-person plural simple past indicative of be; were.
  • third-person plural simple past indicative of be; were.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English was, from Old English wæs, from Proto-Germanic *was, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂we-h₂wós-e from *h₂wes- (“to reside”), whence also vestal.
See also Scots was, West Frisian was (dated, wie is generally preferred today), Dutch was, Low German was, German war, Swedish var); also Kamkata-viri vos-, Sanskrit उवास (uvā́sa).
The paradigm of “to be” has been since the time of Proto-Germanic a synthesis of three originally distinct verb stems. The infinitive form be is from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to become”). The forms is and are are both derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- (“to be”). Lastly, the past forms starting with w- such as was and were are from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes- (“to reside”).

Synonyms

be, comprise, constitute, cost, embody, equal, Evergreen State, exist, follow, live, make up, personify, represent, WA, Washington

Antonyms

differ

Scrabble Score: 6

was is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
was is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
was is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 6

was is a valid Words With Friends word