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.
Were"gild` (?), n. [AS. wergild; wer a man, value set on a man's life +
gild payment of money; akin to G. wehrgeld. √285. See Were a man, and
Geld, n.] (O. Eng. Law) The price of a man's head; a compensation paid
of a man killed, partly to the king for the loss of a subject, partly
to the lord of a vassal, and partly to the next of kin. It was paid by
the murderer. [Written also weregeld, weregelt, etc.] Blackstone.
Were"wolf` (?), n.; pl. Werewolves (#). [AS. werwulf; wer a man + wulf
a wolf; cf. G. wärwolf, währwolf, wehrwolf, a werewolf, MHG. werwolf.
√285. See Were a man, and Wolf, and cf. Virile, World.] A person
transformed into a wolf in form and appetite, either temporarily or
permanently, whether by supernatural influences, by witchcraft, or
voluntarily; a lycanthrope. Belief in werewolves, formerly general, is
not now extinct.
The werwolf went about his prey.
William of Palerne.
The brutes that wear our form and face, The werewolves of the human
race.
Longfellow.
{Werk (?), n., Werke }, v. See Work. [Obs.]