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that existed in earlier times 以前的 This fine ruin was, in former times, a royal castle. 这个保留完好的遗址以前是座皇家城堡。 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。 her former life as a Russian ballerina 她以前作为俄罗斯芭蕾舞演员的生活
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that used to have a particular position or status in the past 昔日的；前 the 41-year-old former world champion 41岁的前世界冠军 the former president/prime minister 前总统/总理 former South African president Nelson Mandela 南非前总统纳尔逊 · 曼德拉 both current and former employees 现任和前任员工 a former staff member 一名前工作人员 my former boss/colleague/wife 以前的老板／同事；前妻 the countries of the former Soviet Union 前苏联加盟共和国 former Portuguese colonies 前葡萄牙殖民地
- the former…
used to refer to the first of two things or people mentioned （两者中）前者的
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old English forma ‘first’ + -er.
Idioms
be a shadow/ghost of your former self
to not have the strength, influence, etc. that you used to have 失去昔日的力量（或影响等）；威风不再；不如当年 When his career ended, he became a shadow of his former self. 当他的职业生涯结束时，他变成了以前的自己的影子。