former
- n.模型;样板;创造者;构成者;起形成作用的人;[无线]线圈架
- adj.前;(两者中)前者的;（两者中的）前者;以前的;昔日的
- pron.（两者中的）前者
复数： formers
form 形成 + -er 某种人
formeradj.
以前的
that used to exist in earlier times
in former times
从前
the countries of the former Soviet Union
前苏联加盟共和国
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。
昔日的；前
that used to have a particular position or status in the past
the former world champion
前世界冠军
my former boss/colleague/wife
过去的老板 / 同事；前妻
（两者中）前者的
used to refer to the first of two things or people mentioned
The former option would be much more sensible.
前一种选择要明智得多。
（两者中的）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.
他得在放弃工作和放弃原则二者中择其一。他选择了前者。
to not have the strength, influence, etc. that you used to have
former
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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.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。
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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....the former Soviet Union.
前苏联
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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....the former home of Sir Christopher Wren.
克里斯托弗·雷恩爵士的旧居
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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.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。
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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 .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。
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The variation trends of precipitation and total amount of water resources are identical , but the former ′ s variational rate is smaller than the latter ′ s.
水资源总量的变化规律和降水变化规律一致，但前者的变化率明显大于后者。
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Between small changes and big changes , the former is more likely .
在小变化和大变化两者之中，前者的可能性更大。
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Her article showed no charity towards her former friends .
她的文章对她以前的朋友毫不宽容。
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The company was ordered to pay compensation to its former employees .
公司被勒令向以前的员工作出补偿。
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The company was ordered to pay compensation to its former employee .
公司被勒令向以前的员工作出补偿。
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The former option would be much more sensible .
前一种选择要明智得多。
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The former president paid an unofficial visit to China .
前总统到中国进行了私人访问。
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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。
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He found it demeaning to work for his former employee .
他觉得为自己以前的雇员工作有失体面。
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We hope to restore the garden to its former glory .
我们想把这花园变得和过去一样美丽。
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We tried to contact all former students , but one or two slipped through the net .
我们试图同所有的校友取得联系，但有一两个未能找到。
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The house has now been restored to its former glory .
这栋房子又恢复了它往日的辉煌。
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He called on former Republican voters to return to the fold .
他号召昔日拥护共和党的选民重新回到支持共和党的行列。
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Fans were saddened to see the former champion play so badly .
看到以前的冠军表现如此差劲，球迷感到难过。
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The former wild man of rock has reinvented himself as a respectable family man .
过去的那位摇滚狂人已经改变形象，成了一位体面的爱家的男人。
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A former art student fronted the band .
乐队的主音歌手曾是一位艺术院校学生。
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She tried to escape the unwanted attentions of her former boyfriend .
她尽量避开她过去男朋友多余的殷勤。
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No one wants to employ somebody who bad-mouths their former employer .
没有人愿意雇用说前雇主坏话的人。
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He has been accused of betraying his former socialist ideals .
有人指责他背弃了他先前的社会主义理想。
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She felt estranged from her former existence .
她感到自己已脱离了过去的生活方式。
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The palace has been restored to its former splendour .
宫殿经过修葺，重现出昔日的富丽堂皇。
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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。
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One former patient has already indicated his intention to sue .
一位以前的病人已经表示要提起诉讼。
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One former director embezzled $ 34 million in company funds .
一名前主管挪用了3,400万美元的公司资金。
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His former home is for sale at £ 495,000
他的旧居要以49.5万英镑的价格出售。
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The divorce process should not be used as a means to get back at your former partner
不应该在办理离婚手续上报复以前的伴侣。
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The bank had to pay to buy out most of the 200 former partners
银行不得不花钱买下过去200名合伙人手中的大部分股权。
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Up to 2,000 former employees have filed personal injury suits against the company
多达2,000名旧职员以个人伤害为由向该公司提起诉讼。
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The former owner had not left any forwarding address .
以前的房主没有留下任何转递地址。
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Many women have been able to pick up the threads of their former career .
许多女性得以重操旧业。
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。
She has a child from a previous marriage.
她前一次婚姻有一个孩子。
He discovered that he had met his new colleague before on three previous occasions.
他发现他以前见过他的新同事3次。
指事物在讲述、文章等中刚刚提到的，常作定语。
the foregoing examples
上述例证
The foregoing conclusion is based on the following data.
上述结论是根据以下数据得出的。
指曾有过某种职务或地位的，也可指发生或存在于过去的。
He has a great interest in books about the former president.
他对和那位前总统有关的书十分感兴趣。
His income has been reduced to half its former amount due to the economic depression.
由于经济萧条，他的收入已减少到以前的一半。
指在所提时间、地点或部分之前发生或出现的。
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.
他们周五一起看电影的计划泡汤了，因为他们在前一天吵了一架。
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。
The discussion requires prior knowledge of the subject.
本次讨论要求事先了解该主题的相关知识。
No employee can be recruited without the prior approval of the manager.
事先未征得经理的同意不可以招收任何员工。
- 习语