English
as it were
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see as, it, were.
Etymology graph
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Origin
From Middle English as it were, as hyt were, als it were, als hit were, from Old English *ealswā hit wǣre, attested only as swā hit wǣre and swylċe hit wǣre (“as it were”, literally “as it would be”).
Compare Dutch als het ware.
From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Lineage
- inheritedMiddle Englishas it were
- inheritedOld English*ealswā hit wǣre
Related: Dutch als het ware