# former/previous golf course



## wtl

What is the former/previous golf course?
It indicates a place which was a golf course, and now may be a zoo.

So could we say "the zoo is the former/previous golf course"?
So could we say "children like the zoo more than the former/previous golf course"?

Thank you!


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## Barque

wtl said:


> "the zoo is the former/previous golf course"?


_The zoo is on what used to be a golf course._


wtl said:


> So could we say "children like the zoo more than the former/previous golf course"?


_Children like going to this place, now that it's a zoo and not a golf course. _It sounds a little odd to me because children don't usually play golf much.


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## Andygc

"Former", not "previous". The zoo isn't the former golf course but it was built on the former golf course. 

How can the children prefer a zoo to something that no longer exists? You would have to say "Children like the zoo more than they liked the golf course". You don't need "former" because this sentence could not exist without context telling us that the golf course has gone.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> "Former", not "previous". The zoo isn't the former golf course but it was built on the former golf course.
> 
> How can the children prefer a zoo to something that no longer exists? You would have to say "Children like the zoo more than they liked the golf course". You don't need "former" because this sentence could not exist without context telling us that the golf course has gone.





Andygc said:


> "Former", not "previous". The zoo isn't the former golf course but it was built on the former golf course.
> 
> How can the children prefer a zoo to something that no longer exists? You would have to say "Children like the zoo more than they liked the golf course". You don't need "former" because this sentence could not exist without context telling us that the golf course has gone.


Former isn't previous?
In my understanding, they has the same meaning.
For example, the former boss means an individual who was used to be a boss, and the previous boss means as above.

I'm very confused the use of "previous" and "former".
For example, Joe changed position from a prime minister to a president.
That is, Joe is a president, and was a  prime minister.
Could we say "the current president is closer to people than the former prime minister" to indicate how Joe is/was closer to people.


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## Andygc

The former golf course - it was a golf course, it isn't now. They built a zoo on it.

The previous golf course 
- the golf course we used before we started to use the one we use now. It may still exist as a golf course.
or
- we didn't like the golf course, so we dug it up and built a new one. "The new golf course plays much better than the previous one."

Clinton is a former president of the USA.
Obama is a former president of the USA, he is also the previous president of the USA.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> The former golf course - it was a golf course, it isn't now. They built a zoo on it.
> 
> The previous golf course
> - the golf course we used before we started to use the one we use now. It may still exist as a golf course.
> or
> - we didn't like the golf course, so we dug it up and built a new one. "The new golf course plays much better than the previous one."
> 
> Clinton is a former president of the USA.
> Obama is a former president of the USA, he is also the previous president of the USA.


The former golf course - it was a golf course, it isn't now. They built a zoo on it.
Excuse me! The determiner "it" indicates "the place"?
But a church has been out of repair for a long time, and now becomes a ruin.
Could we say "the ruin is a former church?"
I have this idea because I have see some internet information for "former church".
However, I don't know what is "former church".


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## Andygc

The ruin is a former church.   
The ruin is a previous church.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> The ruin is a former church.
> The ruin is a previous church.


Thank you!
Why the zoo is a former golf course is wrong?

Further, if the building attracts more tourists now than it did when it was a church,
could we say "the ruin attracts more tourists than the church did"
                  or "the ruin attracts more tourists than the former church did"?


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## Andygc

The zoo isn't a former golf course. The zebras don't live in bunkers, the penguins aren't in the water hazards and the moles aren't in the holes. The zoo was built on the former golf course - the golf course was obliterated.

The ruin is a former church - the remains of the church are still there.



wtl said:


> could we say "the ruin attracts more tourists than the church did"


You certainly can. 

"the ruin attracts more tourists than the former church did"
That doesn't work - it wasn't the former church when it didn't attract many tourists, then it was the church before it became a ruin.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> The zoo isn't a former golf course. The zebras don't live in bunkers, the penguins aren't in the water hazards and the moles aren't in the holes. The zoo was built on the former golf course - the golf course was obliterated.
> 
> The ruin is a former church - the remains of the church are still there.
> 
> 
> You certainly can.
> 
> "the ruin attracts more tourists than the former church did"
> That doesn't work - it wasn't the former church when it didn't attract many tourists, then it was the church before it became a ruin.


Thank you!
“Former” or “previous” is relative to the present.
The former church denotes the current ruin?


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## Barque

wtl said:


> The former church denotes the current ruin?


I'm not sure what you mean by "denotes". "It was a former church" means it used to be a church. It isn't a church anymore. It's the ruin of a church.


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## wtl

Barque said:


> I'm not sure what you mean by "denotes". "It was a former church" means it used to be a church. It isn't a church anymore. It's the ruin of a church.


Denote indicates to point out.
I am confused if a church was used as an office, could we call the office as “former church”?


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## Andygc

If you have a building that was a church but now is used as an office, it's a former church. If somebody demolishes the church and builds an office block, there is no former church. There is an office block where previously (or formerly) there was a church.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> If you have a building that was a church but now is used as an office, it's a former church. If somebody demolishes the church and builds an office block, there is no former church. There is an office block where previously (or formerly) there was a church.


Thank you!
Finally, I want to make sure "previous" does not have the meaning of "not anymore", but "former" does.
But, the example "Obama is a former president of the USA, he is also the *previous president* of the USA" is so special.


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## Barque

wtl said:


> I want to make sure "previous" does not have the meaning of "not anymore"


Of course it does. It also means "immediately prior". That's why Andygc named Obama specifically, and used "the" with "previous"; there can only be one. Obama is a former American president and the previous one. Clinton is a former American president but not the previous one.


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## wtl

Barque said:


> *Of course it does.* It also means "immediately prior". That's why Andygc named Obama specifically, and used "the" with "previous"; there can only be one. Obama is a former American president and the previous one. Clinton is a former American president but not the previous one.


I make sure "previous" also indicates being "not anymore"?


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## Barque

Yes. You can't be "previous" and "current" at the same time. (*Edit*: In respect of the same thing.)

previous - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
Please see the first definition.


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## wtl

Barque said:


> Yes. You can't be "previous" and "current" at the same time. (In respect of the same thing.)
> 
> previous - WordReference.com Dictionary of English
> Please see the first definition.


But in Andygc's example, the first sentence tells me the previous golf course is still a golf course, but started to be used earlier than the current one.
The previous golf course
- the golf course we used before we started to use the one we use now. It may still exist as a golf course.
or
- we didn't like the golf course, so we dug it up and built a new one. "The new golf course plays much better than the previous one."


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## Barque

Well, I'm not Andy but I think I can explain what he meant.



wtl said:


> The previous golf course
> - the golf course we used before we started to use the one we use now. It may still exist as a golf course.


There was a golf course--Course A. They stopped using it and started using another course--Course B. Here, "previous course" refers to the course that they used to use (Course A), before starting to use B. That's why it's previous; it used to be used but isn't used anymore. It may still be a golf course, but it isn't used anymore, at least not by the speaker.


wtl said:


> - we didn't like the golf course, so we dug it up and built a new one. "The new golf course plays much better than the previous one."


Here, a new course was built on the site of the old one. The previous course is the course that used to exist there before it was dug up and replaced.

The first uses "previous" as in "previously used", and the second uses "previous" as in "previously existing (on that land)".


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## wtl

Barque said:


> Well, I'm not Andy but I think I can explain what he meant.
> 
> 
> There was a golf course--Course A. They stopped using it and started using another course--Course B. Here, "previous course" refers to the course that they used to use (Course A), before starting to use B. That's why it's previous; it used to be used but isn't used anymore. It may still be a golf course, but it isn't used anymore, at least not by the speaker.
> 
> Here, a new course was built on the site of the old one. The previous course is the course that used to exist there before it was dug up and replaced.
> 
> The first uses "previous" as in "previously used", and the second uses "previous" as in "previously existing (on that land)".


*The first uses "previous" as in "previously used", and the second uses "previous" as in "previously existing (on that land)".*
Very benefit to me!


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## wtl

Barque said:


> Well, I'm not Andy but I think I can explain what he meant.
> 
> 
> There was a golf course--Course A. They stopped using it and started using another course--Course B. Here, "previous course" refers to the course that they used to use (Course A), before starting to use B. That's why it's previous; it used to be used but isn't used anymore. It may still be a golf course, but it isn't used anymore, at least not by the speaker.
> 
> Here, a new course was built on the site of the old one. The previous course is the course that used to exist there before it was dug up and replaced.
> 
> The first uses "previous" as in "previously used", and the second uses "previous" as in "previously existing (on that land)".


*Dear Barque
Could I ask a further stupid question?
A bike was destructed into a seat, four wheels, and etc, and then I bought another bike.
Could I called the destructed bike as "my previous bike", and the bought one as "my current bike"?
As the destructed bike does not exist after destruction, I am very confused the use would be OK?
Thank you for asking another question after many days.*


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## Barque

No, not a stupid question at all. You could certainly refer to it as your previous bike. _My previous bike had a more comfortable seat. _

I think I'd be more likely to say _The bike I had earlier... _But that could just be personal preference.


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## Andygc

The only unusual thing about your previous bike is that it had four wheels. Your use of "my previous bike" is perfectly normal.


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## Barque

I noticed that too but decided Wtl might have been referring to a quad bike.  Or perhaps he started off writing about a car, and then only changed "car" to "bike".


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> The only unusual thing about your previous bike is that it had four wheels. Your use of "my previous bike" is perfectly normal.


for child~


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## wtl

Barque said:


> I noticed that too but decided Wtl might have been referring to a quad bike.  Or perhaps he started off writing about a car, and then only changed "car" to "bike".


Dear Barque
If I cut a shirt to a tank top for Tom, could I say "the tank top is more suitable than the previous shirt was for Tom."
I have this idea because the previous golf course means something dug up and replaced by another.
After cutting, the shirt does not exist, and I think it is a previous (previously used) shirt.
This question confuses me how to use "previous" correctly.


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## Barque

wtl said:


> could I say "the tank top is more suitable than the previous shirt was for Tom."


I'm afraid this doesn't sound very natural. _It suits him better as a tank top than as a shirt. _You could also say _This tank top was a shirt earlier. _I wouldn't use "previous" here.


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## Andygc

It sounds wrong. In order to have a previous shirt you have to have a shirt now. And we have told you this in several ways and several times in this thread. The primary definition in the Wordreference dictionary tells you the same.


> occurring before something else;
> prior:
> The previous owner of this car was a little old lady.


Somebody other than the little old lady is the current owner.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> It sounds wrong. In order to have a previous shirt you have to have a shirt now. And we have told you this in several ways and several times in this thread. The primary definition in the Wordreference dictionary tells you the same.
> Somebody other than the little old lady is the current owner.


The use of "former" or "previous" is under something existing now.
But if I broke up with someone and still be single, why "She is my previous girl friend" is OK when I am single?
Thank you!


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## Barque

wtl said:


> But if I broke up with someone and still be single, why "She is my previous girl friend" is OK when I am single?


It isn't ok. _She's my ex-girlfriend._

It'd work only if you were also referring to your current girlfriend. _My current girlfriend is a translator. So was my previous one._


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## Andygc

This thread is going round in circles.

*You cannot have a previous thing if there is no subsequent thing.*

Shirt, girlfriend, house, golf course, bike - whatever the _thing_ might be.


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## wtl

Barque said:


> It isn't ok. _She's my ex-girlfriend._
> 
> It'd work only if you were also referring to your current girlfriend. _My current girlfriend is a translator. So was my previous one._


Ex


Andygc said:


> This thread is going round in circles.
> 
> *You cannot have a previous thing if there is no subsequent thing.*
> 
> Shirt, girlfriend, house, golf course, bike - whatever the _thing_ might be.


_I am still confused how to look at the "my previous house".
For example, a house was used to be mine, and now still exists and is Someone else's;
                or a house was used to be mine and has been dug up.
If I have another house, "my previous house" can be used to direct any of the two meanings._

I am confused the shirt example.
Yesterday, I cut a shirt to a tank top.
One minute before, I bought another shirt.
If someone say "your current shirt is suitable than your previous shirt", I am confused "your previous shirt" indicate the entity looked like a shirt or looks like a tank top, because the shirt is in the form of a tank top not a shirt.


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## Barque

wtl said:


> I am still confused how to look at the "my previous house".
> For example, a house was used to be mine, and now still exists and is Someone else's;
> or a house was used to be mine and has been dug up.
> If I have another house, "my previous house" can be used to direct any of the two meanings.


Please give us a sentence. We can't help without knowing what you're thinking of saying.


wtl said:


> Yesterday, I cut a shirt to a tank top.
> One minute before, I bought another shirt.
> If someone say "your current shirt is suitable than your previous shirt", I am confused "your previous shirt" indicate the entity looked like a shirt or looks like a tank top, because the shirt is in the form of a tank top not a shirt.


As we've already told you, "previous" isn't the right word here.


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## heypresto

1. You have a house - A.
2. You move into another house.
3. You now have a house - B.

B is your current house. A is your previous house.

4. Two years later you move to another house - C.

Now C is your current house, and B is your previous house.


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## Andygc

How many times do we have to repeat this simple message - y*ou cannot have a previous thing if there is no subsequent thing*?

You had a shirt and cut it up. You bought another shirt. Your friend says "Your previous shirt was much nicer than your new shirt. It's a pity you cut it up."

You had a girlfriend who was killed in a traffic accident. Your new girlfriend jumped off a bridge. Your previous girlfriend was killed in a traffic accident. It doesn't matter if the _things_ still exist or not, but for one to be a _previous thing_ there must be _another thing_ that came after it.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> How many times do we have to repeat this simple message - y*ou cannot have a previous thing if there is no subsequent thing*?
> 
> You had a shirt and cut it up. You bought another shirt. Your friend says "Your previous shirt was much nicer than your new shirt. It's a pity you cut it up."
> 
> You had a girlfriend who was killed in a traffic accident. Your new girlfriend jumped off a bridge. Your previous girlfriend was killed in a traffic accident. It doesn't matter if the _things_ still exist or not, but for one to be a _previous thing_ there must be _another thing_ that came after it.


Thank you!
But I have a context, I don't know which is the choice?
I provided plan A, plan B, plan C, and plan, and my teacher asked me to delete plan C and to rename plan D to "plan C".
Now the plan A is still the plan A,
        the plan B is still the plan B,
        the plan C is the *(former/previous/old/previously provided)* plan D->which one is OK
        the *(former/previous/old/previously provided)* plan C has been deleted.->which one is OK


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## Andygc

Former.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> Former.


the *(former/previous/old/previously provided)* plan C has been deleted. 
In this example, why "previous" can be used?
I think there is a plan C which was the plan D, and there was a plan C which was deleted.


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## Andygc

If you particularly want to use previous, you can. But my advice is to use former.


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## Barque

You could say "Plan C was previously Plan D". Or "Plan C is the former Plan D".


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## PaulQ

*In broad terms,* the difference is that *former* ~ at sometime in the past; *previous* ~ the one before. *Former* is relative to time, *previous* is relative to the person speaking or the item/person indicated.
* 
The OED has



			Former
		
Click to expand...

*


> : 1. a. Earlier in time. Now chiefly in the more specific sense: Pertaining to the past, or to a period or occasion anterior to that in question. _The sense ‘*the earlier of two*’ (in strictly temporal application) is obsolete or archaic except with reference to the halves of a period of time._
> *Previous*:
> 2.      *A* *1.* *a.* _attributive_. Coming or going before (in time or order); foregoing, preceding, antecedent.


The current Sheriff of Dry Gulch is “D”. If there were 3 people, A, B, and C, who had all been Sheriff of Dry Gulch, A, B, and C would all be former Sheriffs of Dry Gulch, but 

D can say, “C was Dry Gulch’s previous Sheriff.” (Immediately before in order.) Or “A, B, and C were former Sheriffs.” 

C can say “When I was Sheriff, B was the previous Sheriff.” Or “A, and B were former Sheriffs.” 

*Former *refers to any people or object that have gone before the current person or object.

*Previous *refers to the one immediately before the one who is speaking.

If there had been only *two* sheriffs (A, and the current B) then B can say “A was the previous sheriff” or “A was the former sheriff.”



> Plan C is the *(former /previous/old/previously named[/s])* plan D


Plan C and plan D existed at the same time. We are only discussing two things and plan D became plan C – plan C is the former/previous plan D

As there are only two items, you can also say “C is the *plan formerly/previously known as* D.” (Cf. The Artist Formerly known as ‘Prince’.)

*Previous *and *former *become indistinct when qualified by a quantifier “a, some, few, etc.”  So Sheriff D might say “A previous sheriff shot an outlaw.” Or “Some former sheriffs shot outlaws.” And we would not know to whom he was referring.


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## wtl

Barque said:


> It isn't ok. _She's my ex-girlfriend._
> 
> It'd work only if you were also referring to your current girlfriend. _My current girlfriend is a translator. So was my previous one._


Thanks for Barque, Andygc, and PaulQ.
I have known your advice.
For example, I have a A car, and had a B car.
I can called A car is my current car, and B car is my previous/former car.
The distinct between "previous" and "former" is that "previous" is used under the existing of the current thing/situation, but "former" does not.
I want to make sure this conception is right?

I have two questions.
(1) Clinton was a president.=Clinton is a former president.
In the above reply, Barque said "_This tank top was a shirt earlier."_
Could I also say *"The  tank top is a former shirt".*

(2) If I am not a student, I had good school scores.
If I want to use an adjective to describe the school scores are past, could I say "The school scores I used to have/The past school scores/ The former school scores/ The previous school scores/ The previously gotten school scores.

Thank you!


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## Barque

wtl said:


> Could I also say *"The  tank top is a former shirt".*


It sounds odd to me. 




wtl said:


> If I am not a student, I had good school scores.


I don't understand this sentence.



wtl said:


> "The school scores I used to have/The past school scores/ The former school scores/ The previous school scores/ The previously gotten school scores.


Can you give us a full sentence please?


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## wtl

Barque said:


> It sounds odd to me.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't understand this sentence.
> 
> 
> Can you give us a full sentence please?



*Steps*

After *the previous preparation* (killing the chicken and removing feathers) cut the chicken into proportional pieces and wash.


Then add the salt and allow salt to cook with the chicken.


In a different pan, put oil and fry the onions until soft, then add tomatoes and stir until it appears mashed. (if the chicken has too much fat, do add any more fat use the fat from the chicken broth.)


Put the chicken inside and add the chicken broth.


If the chicken broth is little add water for soup.


Dissolve royco in 1/8 cup in water and add to the cooking chicken. Let it boil for 7 minutes then serve.


Serve with Ugali/ rice / chapo.
Stewed Chicken Recipe by Belinda

Excuse me! There is no current preparation. I am confused why the "previous" is used before "preparation".


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## Barque

wtl said:


> I am confused why the "previous" is used before "preparation".


The writer's looking at the previous steps as an earlier part of the preparation and the next steps as the next part.

However I agree it's not a correct use of "previous".


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## Andygc

If you are going to quote a recipe, please quote one that is written in English. That one has errors in almost every sentence.


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## wtl

Human Bloodstains on Biological Materials: High-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope Examination Using Specimens without Previous Preparation | Microscopy and Microanalysis | Cambridge Core

*Human Bloodstains on Biological Materials: High-Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscope Examination Using Specimens without Previous Preparation

I've read this title, but I also confused why the "previous" is used.*


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## Barque

This is a slightly different meaning of "previous" and it means "prior", referring to some preparation done (or not done) before the actual process of examination.

I'd have preferred "prior".


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## Andygc

The basic definition in the Wordreference dictionary is





> occurring before something else;
> prior:


If you read the abstract you can see why they said "without previous preparation". If you don't understand the abstract, why are you asking about the title? Searching the internet for examples of "previous preparation" with no understanding of the results you find seems a rather pointless activity.


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## wtl

Barque said:


> This is a slightly different meaning of "previous" and it means "prior", referring to some preparation done (or not done) before the actual process of examination.
> 
> I'd have preferred "prior".


Excuse me. Is there any dictionary reciting this usage?
Thank you!


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## Barque

See #49.


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## heypresto

wtl said:


> Is there any dictionary reciting this usage?


You could try our WR Dictionary: previous - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> The basic definition in the Wordreference dictionary is
> If you read the abstract you can see why they said "without previous preparation". If you don't understand the abstract, why are you asking about the title? Searching the internet for examples of "previous preparation" with no understanding of the results you find seems a rather pointless activity.


The abstract tells me the the sample can be observed under HV-SEM without treatment.
However, I can't find the subsequent thing for "previous preparation".
I also ask whether "prior" is used with something currently happening or existing.
Thank you!


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## Barque

wtl said:


> However, I can't find the subsequent thing for "previous preparation".


The subsequent thing is the examination.

As we told you, "previous" means "prior", which means "beforehand" here. It means the examination was done without any preparation for it beforehand.


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## wtl

Andygc said:


> The former golf course - it was a golf course, it isn't now. They built a zoo on it.
> 
> The previous golf course
> - the golf course we used before we started to use the one we use now. It may still exist as a golf course.
> or
> - we didn't like the golf course, so we dug it up and built a new one. "The new golf course plays much better than the previous one."
> 
> Clinton is a former president of the USA.
> Obama is a former president of the USA, he is also the previous president of the USA.


I constantly recall your post.
I've known the correct use for "previous".
But if there is a context, I built a house on a lot, then the house was destructed, and there is no any building on the lot.
If I want to say "the house brought me lots of memories".
Of course, the "previous" house is not used in the above sentence.
If I say ""the house previously destructed  brought me lots of memories", is it OK?


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## heypresto

No, that sounds odd. There's no need to use 'previous' at all. 

We'd say something like: _I have lots of memories of the house that used to stand here/that stood here before it was destroyed_.

If there was a new house where your old one used to stand, then you could say 'The house that previously stood here . . . '.

Note 'destructed' is wrong here, you need 'destroyed'.


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