object

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

/ noun ˈɒb dʒɪkt, -dʒɛkt; verb əbˈdʒɛkt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR object ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

anything that is visible or tangible and is relatively stable in form.

a thing, person, or matter to which thought or action is directed: an object of medical investigation.

the end toward which effort or action is directed; goal; purpose: Profit is the object of business.

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.

anything that may be apprehended intellectually: objects of thought.

Optics. the thing of which a lens or mirror forms an image.

Grammar. (in many languages, as English) a noun, noun phrase, or noun substitute representing by its syntactical position either the goal of the action of a verb or the goal of a preposition in a prepositional phrase, as ball in John hit the ball, Venice in He came to Venice, coin and her in He gave her a coin. Compare direct object, indirect object.

Digital Technology.

any item that can be individually selected or manipulated, as a picture, data file, or piece of text.
in object-oriented programming, a self-contained entity that consists of both data and operations to manipulate the data.

Metaphysics. something toward which a cognitive act is directed.

verb (used without object)

to offer a reason or argument in opposition.

to express or feel disapproval, dislike, or distaste; be averse.

to refuse or attempt to refuse to permit some action, speech, etc.

verb (used with object)

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.

Archaic. to bring forward or adduce in opposition.

Origin of object

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 (past participle of objicere), equivalent to ob- ob- + jec- (combining form of jacere to throw; see jet¹) + -tus past participle suffix; (v.) Middle English objecten to argue against (< Middle French obje( c) ter) < Latin objectāre to throw or put before, oppose

SYNONYMS FOR object

3 objective, target, destination, intent, intention, motive.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR object ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for object

3. See aim.

OTHER WORDS FROM object

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH object

abject object

Words nearby object

obiit, obit, obiter dictum, obituary, obj., object, object ball, object choice, object code, object complement, object distance

Definition for object (2 of 2)

object.

objection.

objective.

Example sentences from the Web for object

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

Inside the Lifetime Whitney Houston Movie’s Lesbian Lover Storyline |Kevin Fallon |December 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
If they run off with somebody else, we say they were stolen—as if they are an object or a commodity.

Owning Up to Possession’s Downside |Samantha Harvey |December 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And for some clients, money was no object in getting their fantasies fulfilled.

Whip It: Secrets of a Dominatrix |Justin Jones |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Hockney saw the object that would become the bane of office secretaries everywhere as bringing him closer to his art.

The Many Lives of Artist David Hockney |William O’Connor |November 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

And it is difficult to object to same-sex marriage when so many binary-defying unions have already taken place.

Intersexuality and God Through the Ages |Candida Moss |November 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
That child was as truly an object of reverence to us as any patient sufferer of mature age.

Household Education |Harriet Martineau
At first it appeared so totally dark that Ben could not distinguish any object in the room.

Biographical Stories |Nathaniel Hawthorne
The object was a picture, the picture of a young man in the uniform of a captain in the German cuirassiers.

Stories That End Well |Octave Thanet
Moreover, they opened a handsome casino and less reputable gambling houses with the object of collecting further toll.

Brandon of the Engineers |Harold Bindloss
Admiration is in its nature respectful, whilst desire tends to profane its object.

Lectures on the true, the beautiful and the good |Victor Cousin

British Dictionary definitions for object (1 of 2)

object ¹

/ (ˈɒbdʒɪkt) /

noun

a tangible and visible thing

a person or thing seen as a focus or target for feelings, thought, etc an object of affection

an aim, purpose, or objective

informal a ridiculous or pitiable person, spectacle, etc

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

grammar a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase whose referent is the recipient of the action of a verb See also direct object, indirect object

grammar a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that is governed by a preposition

no object not a hindrance or obstacle money is no object

computing a self-contained identifiable component of a software system or design object-oriented programming

Word Origin for object

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

British Dictionary definitions for object (2 of 2)

object ²

/ (əbˈdʒɛkt) /

verb

(tr; takes a clause as object) to state as an objection he objected that his motives had been good

(intr often foll by to) to raise or state an objection (to); present an argument (against)

Derived forms of object

objector, noun

Word Origin for object

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

Cultural definitions for object

object

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.)

Idioms and Phrases with object

object

see money is no object.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

object

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Origin of object

SYNONYMS FOR object

synonym study for object

OTHER WORDS FROM object

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH object

Words nearby object

Definition for object (2 of 2)

Example sentences from the Web for object

British Dictionary definitions for object (1 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for object

British Dictionary definitions for object (2 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of object

Word Origin for object

Cultural definitions for object

Idioms and Phrases with object

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

object

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Origin of object

SYNONYMS FOR object

synonym study for object

OTHER WORDS FROM object

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH object

Words nearby object

Definition for object (2 of 2)

Words related to object

Example sentences from the Web for object

British Dictionary definitions for object (1 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for object

British Dictionary definitions for object (2 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of object

Word Origin for object

Cultural definitions for object

Idioms and Phrases with object