object

¹

[ noun ob-jikt, -jekt; verb uhb-jekt ]

noun

1. anything that is visible or tangible and is relatively stable in form.
2. a thing, person, or matter to which thought or action is directed:

   an object of medical investigation.

3. the end toward which effort or action is directed; goal; purpose:

   Profit is the object of business.

   Synonyms: motive, intention, intent, aim, target, objective

4. a person or thing with reference to the impression made on the mind or the feeling or emotion elicited in an observer:

   an object of curiosity and pity.

5. anything that may be apprehended intellectually:

   objects of thought.

6. Optics. the thing of which a lens or mirror forms an image.
7. Grammar. (in many languages, such as English) a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun that represents either the goal of the action of a verb or the goal of a preposition in a prepositional phrase: for example, ball in John hit the ball, or Venice in He came to Venice, or coin and her in He gave her a coin. Compare direct object ( def ), indirect object ( def ).
8. Digital Technology.
   1. any item that can be individually selected or manipulated, as a picture, data file, or piece of text.
   2. in object-oriented programming, a self-contained entity that consists of both data and operations to manipulate the data.
9. Metaphysics. something toward which a cognitive act is directed.

verb (used without object)

1. to offer a reason or argument in opposition.
2. to express or feel disapproval, dislike, or distaste; be averse.
3. to refuse or attempt to refuse to permit some action, speech, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. to state, claim, or cite in opposition; put forward in objection, disagreement, or disapproval:

   Some people objected that the proposed import duty would harm world trade.

2. Archaic. to bring forward or cite in opposition.

object.

²

abbreviation for

1. objection.
2. objective.

object

¹

/ ˈɒbdʒɪkt /

noun

1. a tangible and visible thing
2. a person or thing seen as a focus or target for feelings, thought, etc

   an object of affection

3. an aim, purpose, or objective
4. informal.
   a ridiculous or pitiable person, spectacle, etc
5. philosophy that towards which cognition is directed, as contrasted with the thinking subject; anything regarded as external to the mind, esp in the external world
6. grammar a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase whose referent is the recipient of the action of a verb See also direct object indirect object
7. grammar a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that is governed by a preposition
8. no object
   not a hindrance or obstacle

   money is no object

9. computing a self-contained identifiable component of a software system or design

   object-oriented programming

object

²

/ əbˈdʒɛkt /

verb

1. tr; takes a clause as object to state as an objection

   he objected that his motives had been good

2. introften foll byto to raise or state an objection (to); present an argument (against)

object

1. A part of a sentence ; a noun , pronoun , or group of words that receives or is affected by the action of a verb . ( See direct object , indirect object , and objective case .)

Derived Forms

• obˈjector, noun

Other Words From

• ob·jec·tor noun
• o·ver·ob·ject verb
• re·ob·ject verb (used with object)
• un·ob·ject·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of object¹

First recorded in 1325–75; (noun) Middle English: “something perceived, purpose, objection,” from Medieval Latin objectum “something thrown down or presented (to the mind),” noun use of neuter of Latin objectus “thrown toward,” past participle of obicere, objicere “to throw toward” ( ob- ( def ), jet ¹( def ) ); verb from Middle French obje(c)ter, from Latin objectāre “to throw or put before, oppose,” frequentative of obicere, objicere, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of object¹

C14: from Late Latin objectus something thrown before (the mind), from Latin obicere; see object ²

Origin of object²

C15: from Latin obicere, from ob- against + jacere to throw

Idioms and Phrases

see money is no object .

Synonym Study

See aim.

Example Sentences

Physicists don’t usually deal with objects of different sizes at the same time.

From Quanta Magazine

Powerful gusts not only blow objects around, they also churn up massive waves called storm surges.

From Science News For Students

When you only look at things close-up, your eyes don’t get practice focusing on distant objects.

From Science News For Students

GPT-3’s word embeddings are not perceptually grounded in the world, which explains why it often struggles to consistently answer common-sense questions about visual and physical features of familiar objects.

From Nautilus

It’s not yet clear what this object is and what its purpose might be.

From MIT Technology Review

But by far the most interesting object, which held enormous fascination for me, sat high up on the top shelf.

From The Daily Beast

And who better to do that with than the actress who is playing the object of said (alleged) lesbian affection in the flick?

From The Daily Beast

If they run off with somebody else, we say they were stolen—as if they are an object or a commodity.

From The Daily Beast

He can barely speak the titles, but manages to let Viridiana and That Obscure Object of Desire pass from his lips.

From The Daily Beast

The show, Bell Hooks argued in Black Looks: Race and Representation, “represents wom[e]n as the object of a phallocentric gaze.”

From The Daily Beast

The thought seemed to produce the dreaded object, for next moment a large hummock appeared right ahead.

From Project Gutenberg

Naturally the conversation fell on the all-absorbing topic of the day and the object of his mission.

From Project Gutenberg

To make the effort of articulation a vital impulse in response to a mental concept,—this is the object sought.

From Project Gutenberg

The object of this practise is to attain facility in manipulating the elements while maintaining the smooth quality of the tone.

From Project Gutenberg

Every time he is dressed, or sees his mother dress, he has an object-lesson in symmetrical arrangement.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• balk
• complain
• criticize
• oppose
• protest