object

¹

[ob-jikt, -jekt, 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.

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

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. 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. 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.)

Other Word Forms

• objector noun
• overobject verb
• reobject verb (used with object)
• unobjected 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

The townspeople were objecting to local government taking private property and turning it over to a third party, in the name of some vague public purpose on which the town’s people had never voted.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The legislative language of Question 1 runs 12 pages, and a hazard of lawmaking by ballot initiative is that some Mainers might like voter ID but object to something else.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Events happen everywhere throughout the course of existence, and the occurrence of an event is categorically different from the existence of anything -- whether object, place or concept.

Read more on Science Daily

Traces of his partner's DNA were also found but they might have been transferred there through contact with a person or object, she added.

Read more on Barron's

The lab identified "multiple objects that measure approximately 2 metres x 3 metres" at a separate facility that may have been used as a school.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• article 
• body 
• commodity 
• gadget 
• item 
• matter 
• phenomenon 
• something 
• substance