He is as it were a walking dictionary.的意思是：他可以說是壹部活字典。
as it were 可以替換成 so to speak
as it is的意思是：實際上，事實上，依照當時的情況
I thought things would get better, but as it is ,they are getting worse.的意思是：我以為事情會變好，但事實上，卻變得更糟了。