From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
former
adj 1: referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned
(or the earlier one or ones of several); "the novel was
made into a film in 1943 and again in 1967; I prefer the
former version to the latter one" [ant: {latter(a)}]
2: belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former
glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover"
[syn: {erstwhile(a)}, {former(a)}, old, {onetime(a)}, {one-
time(a)}, {quondam(a)}, {sometime(a)}]
3: (used especially of persons) of the immediate past; "the
former president"; "our late President is still very active";
"the previous occupant of the White House" [syn: {former(a)},
{late(a)}, {previous(a)}]
4: belonging to the distant past; "the early inhabitants of
Europe"; "former generations"; "in other times" [syn:
{early(a)}, {former(a)}, {other(a)}]
n 1: the first of two or the first mentioned of two; "Tom and
Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered
today" [ant: latter]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Former \Form"er\, n.
1. One who forms; a maker; a creator.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Former \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.
[1913 Webster]
For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age. --Job.
viii. 8.
[1913 Webster]
The latter and former rain. --Hosea vi. 3.
[1913 Webster]
3. Near the beginning; preceeding; as, the former part of a
discourse or argument.
[1913 Webster]
3. Earlier, as between two things mentioned together; first
mentioned.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]