/'fɔ:mə(r); `fɔrmɚ/
adj [attrib 作定语]
1 of an earlier period or time 以前的
*the former world champion 前世界冠军
* my former landlady 我以前的女房东
* in former times 以前
* She's back to her former self again, eg after an illness. 她又恢复了以前的样子（如病後）.
2 being the first mentioned of two things or people 前者的（两者中先提到的）
*The former option favours the married man. 前一种选择对已婚男子有利.
3 (idm 习语) a shadow of one's/its former self => shadow.