Had been (4)
(Other definitions for were that I've seen before include "SECOND PART OF 9" , "SECOND PART OF 14" , "Used to be" , "'Are, in the past (4)'" , "Lycanthrope" .)
'had been' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for was that I've seen before include "Used to be" , "(He/she/it) existed" , "(He/she) existed" , "Did live" , "(I/he) existed" .)