Where does “twere” come from?

Twere comes from Middle English tweren, from Old English þweran, from Proto-Germanic þweraną, from Proto-Indo-European twer-, of uncertain meaning.

Ancestry of “twere”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Middle English	tweren	—
2	Old English	þweran	to twirl; to stir
3	Proto-Germanic	þweraną	to swirl, turn, stir
4	Proto-Indo-European	twer-	to rotate, twirl, swirl, move; to turn, twirl,...

twere — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer