former

former
    adj 1: referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned
           (or the earlier one or ones of several); "the novel was
           made into a film in 1943 and again in 1967; I prefer the
           former version to the latter one" [ant: {latter(a)}]
    2: belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former
       glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover"
       [syn: {erstwhile(a)}, {former(a)}, {old}, {onetime(a)}, {one-
       time(a)}, {quondam(a)}, {sometime(a)}]
    3: (used especially of persons) of the immediate past; "the
       former president"; "our late President is still very active";
       "the previous occupant of the White House" [syn: {former(a)},
       {late(a)}, {previous(a)}]
    4: belonging to the distant past; "the early inhabitants of
       Europe"; "former generations"; "in other times" [syn:
       {early(a)}, {former(a)}, {other(a)}]
    n 1: the first of two or the first mentioned of two; "Tom and
         Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered
         today" [ant: {latter}]
    

Former \Form"er\, n.
   1. One who forms; a maker; a creator.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Mech.)
      (a) A shape around which an article is to be shaped,
          molded, woven wrapped, pasted, or otherwise
          constructed.
      (b) A templet, pattern, or gauge by which an article is
          shaped.
      (c) A cutting die.
          [1913 Webster]
    

Former \For"mer\, a. [A compar. due to OE. formest. See
   {Foremost}.]
   1. Preceding in order of time; antecedent; previous; prior;
      earlier; hence, ancient; long past.
      [1913 Webster]

            For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age. --Job.
                                                  viii. 8.
      [1913 Webster]

            The latter and former rain.           --Hosea vi. 3.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Near the beginning; preceeding; as, the former part of a
      discourse or argument.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Earlier, as between two things mentioned together; first
      mentioned.
      [1913 Webster]

            A bad author deserves better usage than a bad
            critic; a man may be the former merely through the
            misfortune of an ill judgment; but he can not be
            latter without both that and an ill temper. --Pope.

   Syn: Prior; previous; anterior; antecedent; preceding;
        foregoing.
        [1913 Webster]
    

56 Moby Thesaurus words for "former":
      aforementioned, aforenamed, aforesaid, ancient, antecedent,
      antediluvian, anterior, anticipatory, beforementioned, bygone,
      ci-devant, departed, earlier, early, elder, eldest, erstwhile,
      first, first-born, firstling, fore, foregoing, forementioned,
      forenamed, immemorial, last, late, latest, major, named, old,
      olden, older, oldest, once, onetime, past, precedent, preceding,
      precurrent, preexistent, prehistoric, previous, prime, primeval,
      primitive, primogenitary, prior, quondam, recent, said, same,
      senior, sometime, then, whilom