adj.以前的; 昔日的; 前; (兩者中)前者的
n.模型; 樣板; 構(gòu)成者; 創(chuàng)造者; 起形成作用的人; [無(wú)線]線圈架

復(fù)數(shù)：formers

牛津詞典

adj.

以前的that used to exist in earlier times

in former times從前

the countries of the former Soviet Union前蘇聯(lián)加盟共和國(guó)

This beautiful old building has been restored to its former glory .這座美麗的老建筑物已恢復(fù)了昔日的壯觀。

昔日的；前that used to have a particular position or status in the past

the former world champion前世界冠軍

my former boss/colleague/wife過(guò)去的老板 / 同事；前妻

（兩者中）前者的used to refer to the first of two things or people mentioned

The former option would be much more sensible.前一種選擇要明智得多。

（兩者中的）前者the first of two things or people mentioned

He had to choose between giving up his job and giving up his principles. He chose the former.他得在放棄工作和放棄原則二者中擇其一。他選擇了前者。

柯林斯詞典

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.The unemployed executives include former sales managers, directors and accountants.被解雇的管理人員包括前銷售經(jīng)理、主管和會(huì)計(jì)。

...former President Richard Nixon...前總統(tǒng)理查德·尼克松

He pleaded not guilty to murdering his former wife.他對(duì)謀***前妻的指控作了無(wú)罪抗辯。

ADJ (國(guó)家)原先的，先前的Former is used to refer to countries which no longer exist or whose boundaries have changed....the former Soviet Union.前蘇聯(lián)

...the former Yugoslavia.前南斯拉夫

ADJ 昔日的;舊時(shí)的;曾經(jīng)的Former is used to describe something which used to belong to someone or which used to be a particular thing....the former home of Sir Christopher Wren.克里斯托弗·雷恩爵士的舊居

...a former monastery.昔日的修道院

ADJ 早先的;從前的Former is used to describe a situation or period of time which came before the present one.He would want you to remember him as he was in former years.他可能會(huì)希望你記住他早年的樣子。

PRON 前者;前一個(gè)When two people, things, or groups have just been mentioned, you can refer to the first of them as the former .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...如果要在一件純白的 T 恤和一件更貴的臟兮兮的米色 T 恤之間選擇的話，多數(shù)人都會(huì)選前者，這是無(wú)可厚非的。

If the family home and joint pension rights are of equal value, the wife may choose the former and the hu***and the latter.如果家庭住房和共同養(yǎng)老金具有同樣的價(jià)值，妻子可能會(huì)選前者，而丈夫會(huì)選后者。

雙語(yǔ)例句

A great deal of Jeff's money went in alimony to his three former wives. 杰夫的很大一部分錢都用在了向他的前三任妻子支付贍養(yǎng)費(fèi)。

A former associate of Mr. Pierce's was among the project's boosters. 皮爾斯先生的一個(gè)前合伙人是這個(gè)計(jì)劃的熱心支持者之一。

He campaigned relentlessly to bring charges of corruption against former members of the government 為了將前***成員以***的罪名送上法庭，他持續(xù)不懈地奔走游說(shuō)。

Turkey and Greece were buffer states against the former Soviet Union. 土耳其和希臘是前蘇聯(lián)與反蘇國(guó)家之間的緩沖國(guó)。

He made the mistake of leaving his valuable record collection with a former girlfriend. 他犯了一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤，把自己收藏的一批珍貴唱片留在了以前的一個(gè)女友那里。

The former hostage is in remarkably good shape considering his ordeal. 想想人質(zhì)曾遭受的折磨，獲救后其身體狀況已經(jīng)是出奇地好了。

Both Democratic and Republican parties are courting former supporters of Ross Perot ***和共和黨都在極力拉攏羅斯·佩羅以前的支持者。

The former President was demanding that he should be either put on trial or set free 前總統(tǒng)要求要么對(duì)他進(jìn)行審判，要么將他釋放。

A former Finance Minister and five senior civil servants are accused of fraud. 一名前財(cái)政大臣和五名高級(jí)公務(wù)員被指控詐騙。

The unemployed executives include former sales managers, directors and accountants. 被解雇的管理人員包括前銷售經(jīng)理、主管和會(huì)計(jì)。

He pleaded not guilty to murdering his former wife. 他對(duì)謀***前妻的指控作了無(wú)罪抗辯。

He would want you to remember him as he was in former years. 他可能會(huì)希望你記住他早年的樣子。

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 如果要在一件純白的T恤和一件更貴的臟兮兮的米色T恤之間選擇的話，多數(shù)人都會(huì)選前者，這是無(wú)可厚非的。

If the family home and joint pension rights are of equal value, the wife may choose the former and the hu***and the latter. 如果家庭住房和共同養(yǎng)老金具有同樣的價(jià)值，妻子可能會(huì)選前者，而丈夫會(huì)選后者。

He might have been murdered by a former client or someone harbouring a grudge 他可能已經(jīng)被以前的客戶或某個(gè)對(duì)他懷恨在心的人謀***了。

They lauded the former president as a hero 他們頌揚(yáng)前總統(tǒng)為英雄。

Earlier this month, a luncheon for former UN staff was held in Vienna. 本月早些時(shí)候在維也納設(shè)午宴招待了前聯(lián)合國(guó)工作人員。

Her life was changed by a chance meeting with her former art master a few years ago. 她的生活因幾年前同她以前的美術(shù)老師的偶遇改變了。

She outpaced the former Olympic champion Evelyn Ashford. 她超過(guò)了前奧運(yùn)冠軍伊芙琳·阿什福德。

He was involved in a punch-up with Sarah's former lover. 他和薩拉的舊情人打起來(lái)了。

The former head of counter-intelligence had been stripped of his rank and privileges. 反情報(bào)機(jī)構(gòu)的前任長(zhǎng)官被革職并剝奪了特權(quán)。

He is conducting a point-by-point rebuttal of charges from former colleagues 他正在對(duì)前同事的指責(zé)進(jìn)行逐條反駁。

It's clear that the party of the former Prime Minister has suffered a major reverse. 顯然，前首相所在黨派遭受了重大的挫折。

He hopes to have his 12-year prison term reduced by testifying against his former colleagues. 他希望通過(guò)出庭檢舉從前的同事縮短自己12年的刑期。

His former chauffeur is claiming unfair dismissal on the grounds of racial discrimination. 他的前任司機(jī)聲稱自己因?yàn)榉N族歧視而遭到了不公平解雇。

In 1918 the Romanian majority in this former tsarist province voted for union with Romania. 1918年，這個(gè)前沙皇統(tǒng)治的省份中占了多數(shù)的羅馬尼亞人投票贊成與羅馬尼亞合并。

Of the two opinions, I prefer the former. 這兩種意見(jiàn)中我傾向于前一種。

I still hold my former views. 我仍然持過(guò)去的看法。

I'm going to call on one of my former classmates. 我要去看望我的一位老同學(xué)。

I am not a hired agent for the former president. 我可不是那位前總統(tǒng)的說(shuō)客。

同義詞辨析

previousforegoingformerprecedingprior【導(dǎo)航詞義：先前的】

previous adj. 先前的，以前的

〔辨析〕指在當(dāng)下所提及的事件、時(shí)間等之前發(fā)生或存在的，通常作定語(yǔ)。

〔例證〕She has a child from a previous marriage.她前一次婚姻有一個(gè)孩子。He discovered that he had met his new colleague before on three previous occasions.他發(fā)現(xiàn)他以前見(jiàn)過(guò)他的新同事3次。

foregoing adj. 〈正式〉前述的

〔辨析〕指事物在講述、文章等中剛剛提到的，常作定語(yǔ)。

〔例證〕the foregoing examples上述例證The foregoing conclusion is based on the following data.上述結(jié)論是根據(jù)以下數(shù)據(jù)得出的。

former adj. 以前的，從前的

〔辨析〕指曾有過(guò)某種職務(wù)或地位的，也可指發(fā)生或存在于過(guò)去的。

〔例證〕He has a great interest in books about the former president.他對(duì)和那位前總統(tǒng)有關(guān)的書(shū)十分感興趣。His income has been reduced to half its former amount due to the economic depression.由于經(jīng)濟(jì)蕭條，他的收入已減少到以前的一半。

preceding adj. 〈正式〉在前的，前面的

〔辨析〕指在所提時(shí)間、地點(diǎn)或部分之前發(fā)生或出現(xiàn)的。

〔例證〕The examples in the preceding chapter are used again later.上一章的例子后面又再次被使用。Their plan of seeing a movie together on Friday failed because they had a quarrel on the preceding day.他們周五一起看電影的計(jì)劃泡湯了，因?yàn)樗麄冊(cè)谇耙惶斐沉艘患堋?p>prior adj. 在前的，較早的

〔辨析〕較正式用詞，多指先于另一事物或某一時(shí)間前存在或安排的。

〔例證〕The discussion requires prior knowledge of the subject.本次討論要求事先了解該主題的相關(guān)知識(shí)。No employee can be recruited without the prior approval of the manager.事先未征得經(jīng)理的同意不可以招收任何員工。

習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)

adj.

be a shadow/ghost of your former self

失去昔日的力量（或影響等）；威風(fēng)不再；不如當(dāng)年to not have the strength, influence, etc. that you used to have

英英釋義

noun

the first of two or the first mentioned of two

Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today