Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

            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.

Former \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.

Source : WordNet®

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" [syn: {former(a)}]
            [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)}, {once(a)},
         {onetime(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: of the distant past; "the early inhabitants of Europe";
        "former generations"; "in other times" [syn: {early(a)}, {former(a)},
         {other(a)}]

former
     n : 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}]