former

汉语翻译

a. 从前的, 前者的
n. 起形成作用的人(或物), 模型, 样板
【医】 成形器
相关词组:
the former

词意辨析：

previous, foregoing, preceding, prior, former

这些形容词均可表示“在前的”之意。
previous: 指时间上、顺序上较早的，或指正在谈论的某事的前一个。
foregoing: 指前所述的，是following的反义词。
preceding: 特指时间和地位上紧接在前。
prior: 与previous同义，常可换用，但prior有时强调更大的重要性，对比意味强。
former: 系latter的反义词，比prior更着重对比。

英语解释：

名词 former:

1. the first of two or the first mentioned of two

形容词 former:

1. referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
2. belonging to some prior time
   同义词：erstwhile, old, onetime, quondam, sometime
3. (used especially of persons) of the immediate past
   同义词：late, previous
4. belonging to the distant past
   同义词：early, other

例句：

1. It was more in sorrow than in anger that he criticized his former colleague.
   他批评以前的同事，并非出於气愤而是为他惋惜。
2. Jane and Mary are good friends; the former is a teacher, the latter is a nurse.
   珍和玛丽是好朋友，前者是老师，后者是护士。
3. He is too proud now to be seen with his former friends.
   他现在忘乎所以了，觉得跟以前的朋友在一起有失他的脸面。
4. Of these two men, the former is dead but the latter is still alive.
   这两个人中，前者已死，而后者仍然活着。
5. The poor girl found it hard to throw off her former boy friend.
   这可怜的女孩发觉要摆脱掉她以前的男朋友很不容易。
6. Of these alternatives, I prefer the former.
   在这两者之间我愿选择前者。
7. Mr. Heath is the former Prime Minister of Britain.
   希思先生是英国前任首相。

详细解释：

former

n.（名词）
One that forms; a maker or creator:
创造者；构成者：
例句：
a former of ideas.
想出主意者

Chiefly British A member of a school form:
【多用于英国】 学校某一年级的学生：
例句：
a fifth former.
一个五年级的学生

---

former
former 2

adj.（形容词）


Occurring earlier in time.
较早发生的：在时间意义上更早发生的
Of, relating to, or taking place in the past.
过去的：过去的，与过去有关的，过去发生的
Coming before in place or order; foregoing.
在前的，处在前面的：在地点或计划之前的；在前的
Being the first of two mentioned.
前者的：在两个中先提到的
Having been in the past:
前任的：在过去当过的：
例句：
a former ambassador.
前任外交大使


来源：
Middle English [comparative of] forme [first]
中古英语 [] forme的比较级 [第一]
from Old English forma * see per
源自 古英语 forma *参见 per

Grammarians have often insistedthat the phrasesthe former and the latter should be used only to refer to the first of two things and the second of two things, respectively:
语法家们经常坚持认为，the former 和 the latter 应该只用于分别替代两件事中的第一件和第二件：
例句：
.But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake, and the former was a lulu and the latter was a fake..
.但是，弗林领先于卡塞伊，就象吉米·布莱克也领先于卡塞伊一样，前件事是引人注目的而后件事则是骗人的.。

It is not difficult to find examples of violations of this rule in the works of reputable writers.But the fact thatformer and latter are plainly comparatives will make many readers uneasy when the words are used in enumerations of more than two things, much as would the analagous incorrect use of a comparative in a sentencesuch asHer boys are 7, 9, and 3; only the younger was born in California.
不难发现有名望的作家的作品里有违背此规则的例子。但是事实是former 和 latter 仅仅是相对的，当列举两个以上的词时，许多读音就不容易弄清了， 许多时候在比较时有可能出现下句里的不正确用法：如她的儿子分别是七岁、九岁和十三岁；只有最小的儿子出生在加利福尼