Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und./police) previous convictions, a criminal record.

1935		G. Ingram Cockney Cavalcade 168: He ain’t got no ‘previous’, so you ought-a get bound over, didn’t yer, Jack?
1938		J. Curtis They Drive by Night 270: Once you’ve got a conviction you’re marked for life. Look at me. I’ve got five previous.
1956		J. Curtis Look Long Upon a Monkey 25: With only three previous before this trip to the Old Bailey for shop-breaking, he saw no sense in going out of his way to cut up rough and get celebrated as a desperate tearaway.
1970		G.F. Newman Sir, You Bastard 72: On his previous alone he’d go and draw six.
1992		in R. Graef Living Dangerously 79: Peter will get two years because of his previous.
2000		Guardian G2 27 Mar. 15: Remember, you’ve got two previous.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 145/1: previous n. a criminal record.
2017		A. Parks Bloody January 188: ‘And someone told us last night that he’s got previous’.
2021		A. Parks April Dead 195: ‘You’ve got previous, mate, this isn’t the first time we’ve had a wee look at you and your Taig pals’.

2. in weak form of sense 1, a reputation .

2007

N. ‘Razor’ Smith Raiders 9: The Flying Squad [...] had previous for sitting on jobs of this kind.

3. (Aus.) a previous appointment.

2000

S. Maloney Big Ask 35: ‘Got time for a beer?’ [...] ‘Thanks, but I’ve got a previous.’.

4. previous experience.

2013

K. Sampson Killing Pool 54: And we know from bitter previous that these Granby bucks are not daft.