as it was—
1. just the way it was (usually said of goods that may be slightly damaged, without guarantee, etc.):
- The family bought the estate as it was: ruined, discredited, its buildings in bad condition.
2. in the actual state of affairs; as the situation was:
- If we had been able to find a taxi, we should have caught the train. As it was we were late.
as it were—in a way; so to speak:
- He was, as it were, the missing link between the artist and the commercial public.