Pronunciation: [wɒst ɛmplˈɔ͡ɪd] (IPA) 
The phrase "wast employed" is an archaic form of the past tense of the verb "employ" in the second person singular. The word "wast" is an archaic form of "were" and "employed" is the past participle of "employ". The IPA phonetic transcription of "wast employed" is /wɑːst ɛmˈplɔɪd/. This spelling may seem confusing to modern English speakers, as the archaic forms and constructions are rarely used in modern times.
"Wast employed" is a phrase derived from the archaic English language, specifically from the Middle English period. It consists of the verb "wast," which is the second person singular past tense of the verb "be," and the past participle of the verb "employ."
The phrase "wast employed" can be understood as an obsolete way to convey that someone or something was being used, engaged, or put to work during a specific time or period in the past. It denotes the action of utilizing someone or something for a specific purpose, task, or occupation.
In the Middle English era, the verb "be" took various forms depending on the subject and tense. The second-person singular past form "wast" was later replaced by "were" in contemporary English. The past participle "employed" derives from the verb "employ," which means to use or engage the services of someone or something.
"Wast employed" indicates an action performed by someone or something in the past, where the subject refers to a singular second-person entity or object. It highlights the utilization of that person or object for a particular undertaking, whether skilled labor, occupation, or general application. The phrase exemplifies the linguistic evolution of English over time, as archaic words and verb conjugations have gradually become obsolete and uncommon in modern usage.
The phrase "wast employed" is not a word itself, but a combination of words.
"Wast" is an archaic form of the verb "to be" in the second person singular form. It comes from the Old English word "wǣron", which means "were". Over time, "wǣron" evolved into Middle English, where it transformed into "wast". This archaic form of "wast" was used until the 17th century.
The word "employed" comes from the Latin word "implēre", meaning "to fill". Over the centuries, "implēre" made its way into Old French as "employer", which meant "to involve, engage or hire". Eventually, it entered English as "employ", keeping a similar meaning.
