The spelling of the word "were allowed" is a combination of two different sounds. The first sound is the "w" sound which is represented in IPA phonetic transcription as /w/. The second sound is the "er" sound, which is represented as /ɜːr/. When these two sounds are combined, it creates the word "were" which is pronounced as /wɜːr/. The word "allowed" also has two syllables and is pronounced as /əˈlaʊd/. Together, "were allowed" is pronounced as /wɜːr əˈlaʊd/.
"Were allowed" is a phrase that consists of the verb "were" (past tense of "to be") and the verb "allowed" (past participle of "to allow"). When combined, it forms the passive past tense indicative form of the verb "to allow" in the third-person plural.
To allow means to give permission, to grant authorization, or to permit something to happen. It denotes the act of granting access, agreement, or opportunity for an action or event to occur. "Were allowed" implies that the subject in question was given the permission or authorization to carry out a specific action or were granted the opportunity to engage in an activity or behavior.
This phrase often indicates an action that was permitted or authorized by another party in the past. It suggests that there was a level of approval, consent, or acceptance involved in allowing the subject to do or have something. The permission granted might be a result of following certain rules, meeting certain requirements, or receiving approval from an authority figure or governing body.
In summary, "were allowed" is the passive past tense form of "to allow" and signifies that someone or something was given permission, authorization, or the opportunity to take a particular action or engage in a specific behavior in the past.
The word "were allowed" is not an independent word with a distinct etymology. However, it is composed of two parts: "were" and "allowed".
1. "Were": It is the past tense of the verb "to be" in the first and third person plural. This form originates from Old English "wǣron", which is derived from the Proto-Germanic verb "wēsanan" meaning "to be" or "to exist".
2. "Allowed": It is the past participle of the verb "allow". The word "allow" has its roots in Old French "alouer", which emerged from Latin "ad-" (to) and "laudare" (to praise). Over time, "allow" gained the sense of granting permission or giving assent.