former + noun : boss, captain, chairman, director, head; leader, manager, president SYNONYMS former ADJ 1
previous: She has a teenage daughter from a previous marriage.
one-time: She's 87 years old, and a one-time member of the Ziegfeld Follies.
ex-: …an ex-soldier.
earlier: Earlier reports of gunshots have not been substantiated.
erstwhile: Erstwhile workers may have become managers.
for|mer|ly /fɔː r mə r li/ ADV [ADV before v] If something happened or was true formerly , it happened or was true in the past. □ He had formerly been in the Navy. □ …the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire.
For|mi|ca /fɔː r ma I kə/ N‑UNCOUNT Formica is a hard plastic that is used for covering surfaces such as kitchen tables or counters. [TRADEMARK ]
for|mi|dable /fɔː r m I dəb ə l, fə r m I d-/ ADJ If you describe something or someone as formidable , you mean that you feel slightly frightened by them because they are very great or impressive. □ We have a formidable task ahead of us. □ Marsalis has a formidable reputation in both jazz and classical music.
form|less /fɔː r mləs/ ADJ Something that is formless does not have a clear or definite structure or shape. □ A series of largely formless images rushed across the screen.
for|mu|la ◆◇◇ /fɔː r mjʊlə/ (formulae /fɔː r mjʊliː/ or formulas )
1 N‑COUNT A formula is a plan that is invented in order to deal with a particular problem. □ It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula. □ …a peace formula.
2 N‑SING A formula for a particular situation, usually a good one, is a course of action or a combination of actions that is certain or likely to result in that situation. □ [+ for ] Clever exploitation of the latest technology would be a sure formula for success.
3 N‑COUNT A formula is a group of letters, numbers, or other symbols which represents a scientific or mathematical rule. □ He developed a mathematical formula describing the distances of the planets from the Sun.
4 N‑COUNT In science, the formula for a substance is a list of the amounts of various substances which make up that substance, or an indication of the atoms that it is composed of.
5 N‑UNCOUNT Formula is a powder which you mix with water to make artificial milk for babies. □ …bottles of formula. PRAGMATICS formulae
In this dictionary, the label FORMULAE indicates that the word or expression doesn't change, and that it is used in particular situations such as greeting, thanking, or congratulating. Examples of formulae are Hi, Thanks, and Congratulations!
for|mu|laic /fɔː r mjʊle I I k/ ADJ If you describe a way of saying or doing something as formulaic , you are criticizing it because it is not original and has been used many times before in similar situations. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ His paintings are contrived and formulaic.
for|mu|late /fɔː r mjʊle I t/ (formulates , formulating , formulated )
1 VERB If you formulate something such as a plan or proposal, you invent it, thinking about the details carefully. □ [V n] Little by little, he formulated his plan for escape.
2 VERB If you formulate a thought, opinion, or idea, you express it or describe it using particular words. □ [V n] I was impressed by the way he could formulate his ideas.
for|mu|la|tion /fɔː r mjʊle I ʃ ə n/ (formulations )
1 N‑VAR The formulation of something such as a medicine or a beauty product is the way in which different ingredients are combined to make it. You can also say that the finished product is a formulation . □ [+ of ] There have been problems with the formulation of the vaccine. □ You can buy a formulation containing royal jelly, pollen and vitamin C.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The formulation of something such as a policy or plan is the process of creating or inventing it. □ …the process of policy formulation and implementation.
3 N‑VAR A formulation is the way in which you express your thoughts and ideas. □ This is a far weaker formulation than is in the draft resolution which is being proposed.
for|ni|cate /fɔː r n I ke I t/ (fornicates , fornicating , fornicated ) VERB To fornicate means to have sex with someone you are not married to. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] ● for|ni|ca|tion /fɔː r n I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Swearing, fornication and drunkenness were severely punished.
for|sake /fə r se I k/ (forsakes , forsaking , forsook /fə r sʊ k/, forsaken )
1 VERB If you forsake someone, you leave them when you should have stayed, or you stop helping them or looking after them. [LITERARY , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] I still love him and I would never forsake him.
2 VERB If you forsake something, you stop doing it, using it, or having it. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] He doubted their claim to have forsaken military solutions to the civil war.
for|sak|en /fə r se I k ə n/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A forsaken place is not lived in, used, or looked after. [LITERARY ] □ The delta region of the Rio Grande river was a forsaken land of thickets and swamps.
2 → see also godforsaken
for|swear /fɔː r sweə r / (forswears , forswearing , forswore , forsworn ) VERB If you forswear something, you promise that you will stop doing it, having it, or using it. [FORMAL or LITERARY ] □ [V n] The party was offered a share of government if it forswore violence.