"Wast diligent" is an old English phrase that means "you were diligent." The spelling can be a bit confusing, as the "wast" is actually the archaic second person singular past tense of "be," and the "diligent" is spelled the same way as it is today. In IPA phonetic transcription, it would be transcribed as /wɑst ˈdɪlɪdʒənt/. Despite its old-fashioned spelling, the phrase can still be seen in literary works or historical documents.
The phrase "wast diligent" is not a commonly used expression in modern English. However, we can break it down to examine the etymology of the individual words:1. Wast: This is an archaic second-person singular past tense of the verb "be" in the English language. It derives from Old English, specifically from the word "wǣre" which means "were". Over time, "wast" evolved as the second-person singular form of "to be" in Middle English. In modern English, the equivalent form is "were".2. Diligent: This word comes from the Latin term "diligens", which means "careful" or "diligent". It entered the English language around the 14th century through Old French, where it evolved from the Latin root. The word "diligent" refers to someone who is characterized by steady, earnest, and persistent effort.