as it were 

An extremely British way of saying "basically", "in a sense", "in a way", "in a manner of speaking", or "idiomatically", almost always used at the end of a sentence. It's often stuffed into a conversation when the speaker is having a difficult time expressing what they really mean in precise language, and it can take the place of "um" when used habitually to keep words flowing in the absence of thought.

He's a bit shy. He doesn't want to upset the apple cart, as it were.

as it were by durette October 31, 2016

as it were 

It means "in fact, if not in deed." The statement to which it applies may not be the literal truth, but it's not far from it.

He's from the top of the lower classes, as it were.

He may not have ridden her horse, but I'm sure he's saddled her mare, as it were.

as it were by barbecuesteve November 22, 2010

as it were 

sort of; in a way; as if it were true

"I'm in the market... as it were" - Cpt. Jack Sparrow - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

as it were by PianoM0n August 29, 2006

as it were 

a phrase used to sound cultured, especially when fellating a horse.

While i was sucking him off, as it were...

as it were by jim slim jim jim gousche December 29, 2008

As it were 

Oops, I just spoke an inadvertent double entendre and I want you to believe that my mind is dirty enough to have realised it but not so dirty as to have done it deliberately

I was standing in a cold draught talking to that sexy new girl from no. 21 and now I'm all stiff. <pause, slight blush> er.. as it were.

As it were by Schmunzelmonster February 18, 2009

As it were 

This is what unfortunate people add to their sentences when they are desperately trying to convince you that they are either telling the truth or are quite a bit smarter than reality.

Well, when I was last in Italy, we dined at a most excellent little place I found called Nicola's, as it were.

As it were by RosiePotter August 23, 2007