object complement

American  

noun

Grammar.

1. a word or a group of words used in the predicate following a factitive verb and referring to its direct object, as treasurer in We appointed him treasurer, white in They painted the house white, or an interesting speaker in They thought him an interesting speaker.

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Etymology

Origin of object complement

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

The verb follows the subject, and the object complement follows the verb.

From Higher Lessons in English A work on English grammar and composition by Kellogg, Brainerd

In the analysis of "I had rather go," had is the predicate verb, the infinitive go is the object complement, and the adjective rather completes had and belongs to go, i.e., is objective complement.

From Higher Lessons in English A work on English grammar and composition by Kellogg, Brainerd

Him represents the one to whom the command is given, and to lower the bridge is the object complement.

From Higher Lessons in English A work on English grammar and composition by Kellogg, Brainerd

The noun clause may be contracted by making the predicate, when changed to an infinitive phrase, the objective complement, and the subject the object complement.

From Higher Lessons in English A work on English grammar and composition by Kellogg, Brainerd

But there is this difference: whereas the simple sentence always has a word or a phrase for subject, object, complement, and modifier, the complex sentence has statements or clauses for these places.

From An English Grammar by Sewell, James Witt