I. for ‧ mer 1 S2 W1 /ˈfɔːmə $ ˈfɔːrmər/ BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
[ Date: 1100-1200 ; Origin: forme 'first' (12-16 centuries) , from Old English forma ]
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.
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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.
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Please ignore my previous instructions.
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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.
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Ben’s last girlfriend was a teacher.
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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when talking about people you knew or things you had in the past, or about things that existed in the past and have been replaced by newer things: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.
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I saw Phil with one of my old girlfriends.
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The new stadium is much bigger than the old one.
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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.
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The author dealt with this subject in the preceding chapters of the book.
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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
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the former US President
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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.
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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.
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Each year, the convention is a little larger than the one before.
II. former 2 BrE AmE 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
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THESAURUS
■ the one before this one
▪ last most recent or nearest to the present time:
His last film was much better.
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It rained all day last Saturday.
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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.
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His previous records had all been jazz records.
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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
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the former US president
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Interest rates are unlikely to return to their former level.
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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
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The old model was much slower.