former

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++for·mer1 /ˈfɔːmə $ ˈfɔːrmər/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective [only before noun]  1  BEFOREhappening or existing before, but not now 以前〔发生或存在〕的，从前的 → present, previous the former Soviet Union 前苏联 Their farm has been reduced to half its former size. 他们的农场已缩小到以前的一半。► see thesaurus at last2  having a particular position in the past 〔地位、职位〕昔日的，前任的 SYN ex-, → present my former husband 我的前夫 former President Clinton 前总统克林顿3. in former times/years in the past 从前，以前4  somebody/something’s former self BEFOREwhat someone or something was like before they were changed by age, illness, trouble etc 某人/某物以前的模样〔指与现在经历衰老、疾病、苦难等后对比〕 She seems more like her former self. 她似乎回到了以前的样子。be a shadow/ghost of your former self (=be much less confident, healthy, energetic etc than you used to be) 不像以前那样，远不如以前〔自信、健康、有活力等〕 The team’s a shadow of its former self. 该队雄风不再。

Examples from the Corpus

former• Canada is a former British colony.• Her former husband now lives in Houston.• Most of the former inmates sought refuge in his abbey, and many stayed on to help run it.• He was an adviser to former President Reagan.• Weinburger was an advisor to former president Ronald Reagan.• In the fall of 1990 we moved our baking facility from Forestville to downtown Santa Rosa, into a former tortilla factory.• Civil war raged for years in the former Yugoslavia.former2 noun  1  the former formalFIRST the first of two people or things that you have just mentioned 前者 OPP the latter Of the two possibilities, the former seems more likely. 在这两种可能性中，前者似乎更有可能。2. first/second/sixth etc former British EnglishSES used in some schools to show which class a student is in, according to how many years they have been in school 一年级/二年级/六年级等的学生

Examples from the Corpus

former• Steven Soderbergh, nominated as best director for both Traffic and Erin Brockovich, won for the former.• For the former, therefore, to return among the latter was not to degrade, but to promote them.From Longman Business Dictionaryformerfor‧mer /ˈfɔːməˈfɔːrmər/ adjective [only before a noun] happening or existing in the past, but not nowthe former chairman of United Telecommunications IncOrigin former1 (1100-1200) forme “first” ((12-16 centuries)), from Old English forma

for·mer1 adjectiveformer2 nounChineseSyllable  

or Business before, now not Corpus existing but happening

former

I

for‧mer¹ S2 W1 /ˈfɔːmə $ ˈfɔːrmər/ adjective [only before noun]1. happening or existing before, but not now ⇨ present, previous:
    the former Soviet Union
    Their farm has been reduced to half its former size.
2. having a particular position in the past
   SYN  ex- ⇨ present:
    my former husband
    former President Clinton
3. in former times/years in the past
4. somebody/sth’s former self what someone or something was like before they were changed by age, illness, trouble etc:
    She seems more like her former self.
    be a shadow/ghost of your former self (=be much less confident, healthy, energetic etc than you used to be)
    The team’s a shadow of its former self.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ previous [only before noun] used when talking about a person, thing, time etc before the one that you are talking about now: The car’s previous owner didn’t take very good care of it. | Please ignore my previous instructions. | The temperature is higher than in previous years.
   ▪ last [only before noun] used when talking about the one that you had just before now, or the one that existed just before now: The last apartment we lived in was much smaller than this one. | Ben’s last girlfriend was a teacher. | Beth broke up with her last boyfriend because he drank too much.
   ▪ old [only before noun] used when talking about people you knew or things you had in the past, or about things that existed in the past and have been replaced by newer things: I never liked my old boss. | I saw Phil with one of my old girlfriends. | The new stadium is much bigger than the old one. | He was my old maths teacher.
   ▪ preceding [only before noun] formal coming just before the time or thing you have just mentioned, or before the part of a book where you are now: There were fewer crimes compared to the preceding year. | The author dealt with this subject in the preceding chapters of the book. | In the preceding section of the poem, Whitman is talking about how important it is to live in the present.
   ▪ former [only before noun] formal used to describe someone or something that used to have a particular job or position but does not any more: her former husband | the former US President | Kyoto was the former capital of Japan.
   ▪ ex-wife/boyfriend/soldier etc someone who used to be someone’s wife, used to be a soldier etc, but is not any more: Her dad’s an ex-policeman. | Lydia is still friends with her ex-husband.
   ▪ the one before the person or thing that existed before the one you have just mentioned: I didn’t enjoy Spielberg’s last film but I thought the one before was all right. | Each year, the convention is a little larger than the one before.

II

former² noun
1. the former formal the first of two people or things that you have just mentioned
   OPP  the latter:
    Of the two possibilities, the former seems more likely.
2. first/second/sixth etc former British English used in some schools to show which class a student is in, according to how many years they have been in school
     

THESAURUS

■ the one before this one
   ▪ last most recent or nearest to the present time: His last film was much better. | It rained all day last Saturday. | The last time I saw her was two years ago.
   ▪ previous before this one, or before the one that you are talking about: See the diagram in the previous chapter. | His previous records had all been jazz records. | How much were you earning in your previous job?
   ▪ former [only before noun] formal existing or having a particular position in the past, but not now: the former Soviet Union | the former US president | Interest rates are unlikely to return to their former level. | the former Chief Executive
   ▪ old [only before noun] used about a person or thing that existed in the past, but has been replaced by a newer one: an old boyfriend | The old model was much slower.