previous

/'pri:vjəs/

Thân thiện

The previous owner of the house planted a beautiful rose garden.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Existing or occurring before in time or order: Refers to something that came immediately before the current or specified thing in a sequence.
   • Done or acting too hastily; premature: (Informal) Describes an action or judgment made before the proper or expected time.

Usage

• Primary Meaning (Before in time/order): Used to describe the thing that came immediately before the current one. It is often followed by 'to' when used as a prepositional phrase.
  • We met on the previous day.
  • The previous owner of the car took good care of it.
• Secondary Meaning (Premature): Used informally to describe something done too soon.
  • Aren't you being a bit previous? We haven't even been introduced.

Advanced Usage

• "previous to": Before a particular time or event.
  • Previous to moving here, I lived in Paris.
• "in previous years/centuries/etc.": In the time before the current period.
  • In previous centuries, travel was much slower.

Variants and Related Words

• Previously (adverb): At a time before the present; before.
  • I had previously visited the museum.
• Previousness (noun, rare): The state or quality of being previous.

Synonyms

• Prior: Existing or coming before in time, order, or importance.
• Former: Having previously been a particular thing.
• Preceding: Coming before something in order, position, or time.
• Earlier: Happening or done before the present time or before the time one is referring to.

Antonyms

• Subsequent: Coming after something in time; following.
• Following: Coming after or as a result of.
• Next: Coming immediately after the present one in time, order, or sequence.

Idioms and Phrases

• A previous engagement: A commitment or appointment made before the one currently being discussed.
  • I'm afraid I can't attend, as I have a previous engagement.
• On a previous occasion: At a time before now.
  • We discussed this matter on a previous occasion.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. too soon or too hasty
   • our condemnation of him was a bit previous
   • a premature judgment
2. (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
3. just preceding something else in time or order
   • the previous owner
   • my old house was larger

Từ đồng nghĩa

• previous
• premature
• former
• late
• previous
• old