{
    "term": "former",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "that existed in earlier times",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "This fine ruin was, in former times, a royal castle."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This beautiful old building has been restored to **its former glory**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "her former life as a Russian ballerina"
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "past (3)",
            "topics": ["History"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "that used to have a particular position or status in the past",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the 41-year-old former world champion"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the **former president/prime minister**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "former South African president Nelson Mandela"
                },
                {
                    "text": "both current and former employees"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a former staff member"
                },
                {
                    "text": "my former boss/colleague/wife"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the countries of the former Soviet Union"
                },
                {
                    "text": "former Portuguese colonies"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "used to refer to the first of two things or people mentioned",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The former option would be much more sensible."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to not have the strength, influence, etc. that you used to have",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "When his career ended, he became a shadow of his former self."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈfɔːmə(r)/",
                "audio": "fo/former/former__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈfɔːrmər/",
                "audio": "fo/former/former__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old English forma ‘first’ + -er."
}