former/ 'fɔːmər /

1.adjective [+husband] [ president etc] 
前任的

He's a former army officer.
他是位前任军官。
2.adjective [+power] [ authority] 
(earlier) 以前的

They have lost much of their former authority.
他们失去了许多以前的权力。
3.pronoun
the former 前者

The former believe in a strong centralized government.
前者信仰强有力的中央集权制的政府。
in former times/years
以前
֧ɨ