Sentence:  The coronary arteries <WSD>were</WSD> sclerotic and diffusely narrowed throughout their courses , and the right coronary artery was virtually occluded by a yellow atheromatous plaque 1.5 cm. distal to its origin . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)