Meaning of FORMER
| Pronunciation: | | 'formur
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 WordNet Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | | [n] the first of two or the first mentioned of two; "Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today" |
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| | Antonyms: | | latter | | |
| | See Also: | | first, number one | |
| Webster's 1913 Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | |
\Form"er\, n.
1. One who forms; a maker; a creator.
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.
\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.
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age. --Job.
viii. 8.
The latter and former rain. --Hosea vi. 3.
3. Near the beginning; preceeding; as, the former part of a
discourse or argument.
3. Earlier, as between two things mentioned together; first
mentioned.
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.
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| Thesaurus Terms |
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| | Related Terms: | | 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 |
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