former

adj.

1. 以前的
   that used to exist in earlier times
   1. in former times
      从前
   2. the countries of the former Soviet Union
      前苏联加盟共和国
   3. This beautiful old building has been restored to its former glory .
      这座美丽的老建筑物已恢复了昔日的壮观。
2. 昔日的；前
   that used to have a particular position or status in the past
   1. the former world champion
      前世界冠军
   2. my former boss/colleague/wife
      过去的老板 / 同事；前妻
3. （两者中）前者的
   used to refer to the first of two things or people mentioned
   1. The former option would be much more sensible.
      前一种选择要明智得多。
4. （两者中的）前者
   the first of two things or people mentioned
   1. He had to choose between giving up his job and giving up his principles. He chose the former.
      他得在放弃工作和放弃原则二者中择其一。他选择了前者。

1. ADJ 前任的;先前的
   Former is used to describe someone who used to have a particular job, position, or role, but no longer has it.
   1. The unemployed executives include former sales managers, directors and accountants.
      被解雇的管理人员包括前销售经理、主管和会计。
   2. ...former President Richard Nixon...
      前总统理查德·尼克松
   3. He pleaded not guilty to murdering his former wife.
      他对谋杀前妻的指控作了无罪抗辩。
2. ADJ (国家)原先的，先前的
   Former is used to refer to countries which no longer exist or whose boundaries have changed.
   1. ...the former Soviet Union.
      前苏联
   2. ...the former Yugoslavia.
      前南斯拉夫
3. ADJ 昔日的;旧时的;曾经的
   Former is used to describe something which used to belong to someone or which used to be a particular thing.
   1. ...the former home of Sir Christopher Wren.
      克里斯托弗·雷恩爵士的旧居
   2. ...a former monastery.
      昔日的修道院
4. ADJ 早先的;从前的
   Former is used to describe a situation or period of time which came before the present one.
   1. He would want you to remember him as he was in former years.
      他可能会希望你记住他早年的样子。
5. PRON 前者;前一个
   When two people, things, or groups have just been mentioned, you can refer to the first of them as the former .
   1. Given the choice between a pure white T-shirt and a more expensive, dirty cream one, most people can be forgiven for choosing the former...
      如果要在一件纯白的 T 恤和一件更贵的脏兮兮的米色 T 恤之间选择的话，多数人都会选前者，这是无可厚非的。
   2. If the family home and joint pension rights are of equal value, the wife may choose the former and the husband the latter.
      如果家庭住房和共同养老金具有同样的价值，妻子可能会选前者，而丈夫会选后者。

1. A great deal of Jeff's money went in alimony to his three former wives.
   杰夫的很大一部分钱都用在了向他的前三任妻子支付赡养费。
2. A former associate of Mr. Pierce's was among the project's boosters.
   皮尔斯先生的一个前合伙人是这个计划的热心支持者之一。
3. He campaigned relentlessly to bring charges of corruption against former members of the government
   为了将前政府成员以贪污腐败的罪名送上法庭，他持续不懈地奔走游说。
4. Turkey and Greece were buffer states against the former Soviet Union.
   土耳其和希腊是前苏联与反苏国家之间的缓冲国。
5. He made the mistake of leaving his valuable record collection with a former girlfriend.
   他犯了一个错误，把自己收藏的一批珍贵唱片留在了以前的一个女友那里。
6. The former hostage is in remarkably good shape considering his ordeal.
   想想人质曾遭受的折磨，获救后其身体状况已经是出奇地好了。
7. Both Democratic and Republican parties are courting former supporters of Ross Perot
   民主党和共和党都在极力拉拢罗斯·佩罗以前的支持者。
8. The former President was demanding that he should be either put on trial or set free
   前总统要求要么对他进行审判，要么将他释放。
9. A former Finance Minister and five senior civil servants are accused of fraud.
   一名前财政大臣和五名高级公务员被指控诈骗。
10. The unemployed executives include former sales managers, directors and accountants.
    被解雇的管理人员包括前销售经理、主管和会计。
11. He pleaded not guilty to murdering his former wife.
    他对谋杀前妻的指控作了无罪抗辩。
12. He would want you to remember him as he was in former years.
    他可能会希望你记住他早年的样子。
13. Given the choice between a pure white T-shirt and a more expensive, dirty cream one, most people can be forgiven for choosing the former
    如果要在一件纯白的T恤和一件更贵的脏兮兮的米色T恤之间选择的话，多数人都会选前者，这是无可厚非的。
14. If the family home and joint pension rights are of equal value, the wife may choose the former and the husband the latter.
    如果家庭住房和共同养老金具有同样的价值，妻子可能会选前者，而丈夫会选后者。
15. He might have been murdered by a former client or someone harbouring a grudge
    他可能已经被以前的客户或某个对他怀恨在心的人谋杀了。
16. They lauded the former president as a hero
    他们颂扬前总统为英雄。
17. Earlier this month, a luncheon for former UN staff was held in Vienna.
    本月早些时候在维也纳设午宴招待了前联合国工作人员。
18. Her life was changed by a chance meeting with her former art master a few years ago.
    她的生活因几年前同她以前的美术老师的偶遇改变了。
19. She outpaced the former Olympic champion Evelyn Ashford.
    她超过了前奥运冠军伊芙琳·阿什福德。
20. He was involved in a punch-up with Sarah's former lover.
    他和萨拉的旧情人打起来了。
21. The former head of counter-intelligence had been stripped of his rank and privileges.
    反情报机构的前任长官被革职并剥夺了特权。
22. He is conducting a point-by-point rebuttal of charges from former colleagues
    他正在对前同事的指责进行逐条反驳。
23. It's clear that the party of the former Prime Minister has suffered a major reverse.
    显然，前首相所在党派遭受了重大的挫折。
24. He hopes to have his 12-year prison term reduced by testifying against his former colleagues.
    他希望通过出庭检举从前的同事缩短自己12年的刑期。
25. His former chauffeur is claiming unfair dismissal on the grounds of racial discrimination.
    他的前任司机声称自己因为种族歧视而遭到了不公平解雇。
26. In 1918 the Romanian majority in this former tsarist province voted for union with Romania.
    1918年，这个前沙皇统治的省份中占了多数的罗马尼亚人投票赞成与罗马尼亚合并。
27. Of the two opinions, I prefer the former.
    这两种意见中我倾向于前一种。
28. I still hold my former views.
    我仍然持过去的看法。
29. I'm going to call on one of my former classmates.
    我要去看望我的一位老同学。
30. I am not a hired agent for the former president.
    我可不是那位前总统的说客。

  previous foregoing former preceding prior【导航词义：先前的】

  previous adj. 先前的，以前的

〔辨析〕指在当下所提及的事件、时间等之前发生或存在的，通常作定语。

  foregoing adj. 〈正式〉前述的

〔辨析〕指事物在讲述、文章等中刚刚提到的，常作定语。

  former adj. 以前的，从前的

〔辨析〕指曾有过某种职务或地位的，也可指发生或存在于过去的。

  preceding adj. 〈正式〉在前的，前面的

〔辨析〕指在所提时间、地点或部分之前发生或出现的。

  prior adj. 在前的，较早的

〔辨析〕较正式用词，多指先于另一事物或某一时间前存在或安排的。

adj.

be a shadow/ghost of your former self

• 失去昔日的力量（或影响等）；威风不再；不如当年
  to not have the strength, influence, etc. that you used to have

noun

1. the first of two or the first mentioned of two
   1. Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today