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Former vs Remaining - What's the difference?

former | remaining |

As adjectives the difference between former and remaining

is that former is previous while remaining is which remains, especially after something else has been removed.

As nouns the difference between former and remaining

is that former is someone who forms something; a maker; a creator or founder while remaining is an act or occurrence by which someone or something remains.

As a verb remaining is

.

former

English

Alternative forms

* (l)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) former, comparative of . Parallel to (m) (via Latin), as comparative form from same Proto-Indo-European root. Related to (m) and (m) (thence (m)), from Proto-Germanic.

Adjective

(-)
  • Previous.
  • :
  • *
  • *:At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors.In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.
  • (senseid) First of aforementioned two items. Used with the , often without a noun.
  • :
    • Synonyms
    * (previous) anterior, erstwhile, previous, prior, quondam, ex- * See also
    Antonyms
    * latter

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Someone who forms something; a maker; a creator or founder.
    • Dave was the former of the company.
  • An object used to form something, such as a template, gauge, or cutting die.
    • ''The brick arch was built using a wooden former .
  • (chiefly, British, used in combinations) Someone in, or of, a certain form (class).
    • ''Fifth-former
    Sixth-former .
    Derived terms
    * pan former

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * reform ----

    remaining

    English

    Verb

    (head)
    • They will be remaining behind. (progressive)
    My remaining at the beach house kept it from being vandalized. (gerund)
    The remaining paint shall be properly disposed of. (participle used as adjective)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act or occurrence by which someone or something remains
  • * {{quote-book, 1580, , An Answer Unto A Crafty and Sophistical Cavillation Devised by Stephen Gardiner, pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=mFgYAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA298, page=298, edition=1844 Parker Society ed.
    • , passage=For where Gelasius saith, that "there remaineth the substance or nature of bread and wine," to declare thereby the remaining of two natures in Christ, you say, that "Gelasius' saying may be verified in the last, and not in the first," that is to say, that the nature of bread and wine remaineth.}}
  • * {{quote-book, 1864, date=August 8, chapter=Mr Seward to Mr Pike, No. 171, author=, title=Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Part 3, year_published=1865, pageurl=http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA322&id=QTEWAAAAYAAJ&output=text, page=322
    • , passage= It is important for us to know to what extent the remaining of that naval force is advantageous, and I hope therefore, that you will seek an opportunity informally to confer upon this question,
  • * {{quote-book, 1975, , The Contemporary Explosion of Theology, page=39 citation
    • , passage=In this steadfast remaining with the Church that he so often criticizes, Küng shows himself to be a true son of Roman Catholicism. }}
  • (countable, rare) Remnant.

    • Usage notes

    * Also used as gerund.

    Synonyms

    * rest * balance

    Adjective

    (-)
  • which remains, especially after something else has been removed
    • May I have the only remaining cake?

    Synonyms

    * left * surviving