I. ob ‧ ject 1 S3 W2 /ˈɒbdʒɪkt $ ˈɑːb-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Medieval Latin ; Origin: objectum , from Latin obicere ; ⇨ ↑ object 2 ]
1 . THING [countable] a solid thing that you can hold, touch, or see but that is not alive:
an everyday object such as a spoon
a small metal object
scientists studying plants, animals, or inanimate objects (=things that are not alive)
⇨ ↑ UFO
2 . AIM [singular] the purpose of a plan, action, or activity ⇨ goal , aim
object of
The object of the game is to improve children’s math skills.
My object was to explain the decision simply.
The customer will benefit most, and that is the object of the exercise (=the purpose of what you are doing) .
3 . an object of pity/desire/ridicule etc someone or something that is pitied, wanted etc:
She feared becoming an object of ridicule.
sports cars and other objects of desire
an object of study
⇨ ↑ sex object
4 . money/expense is no object used to say that you are willing to spend a lot of money to get something:
Money’s no object; I want the best.
5 . object lesson an event or story that shows you the right or wrong way of doing something
object lesson in
The way ants work is an object lesson in order and organization.
6 . GRAMMAR [countable]
a) a noun or pronoun representing the person or thing that something is done to, for example ‘the house’ in ‘We built the house.’ SYN direct object
b) a noun or pronoun representing the person or thing that is joined by a ↑ preposition to another word or phrase, for example ‘the table’ in ‘He sat on the table.’
c) the person who is involved in the result of an action, for example ‘her’ in ‘I gave her the book.’ SYN indirect object ⇨ subject
7 . COMPUTER [countable] a combination of written information on a computer and instructions that act on the information, for example in the form of a document or a picture:
multimedia data objects
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ thing used when you do not need to say the name, or when you do not know the name:
What’s that thing on the kitchen table?
|
Have you got all your things?
▪ something a thing – used when you are not sure what the thing is:
There’s something on your shirt.
▪ object especially written a solid thing:
a sharp metal object
▪ item formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things:
household items
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a luxury item
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an item of equipment
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The items included pieces of old pottery.
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You are not allowed to take sharp items onto the plane.
▪ article formal a particular kind of thing, or one of a group of things. Article is very formal, and is used especially in the phrase an article of clothing :
They found several articles of clothing in the bushes.
|
suspicious articles
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Each article has a card with it giving more information.
▪ artifact ( also artefact ) formal an object that someone has made, especially one that is very old and has historical value:
The museum has a collection of early Roman artifacts.
▪ thingy ( also thingamajig/thingamabob ) spoken informal a thing – used especially when you cannot remember the name of the thing, but often the other person knows what you are talking about:
Can you pass me the thingy?
II. ob ‧ ject 2 S2 /əbˈdʒekt/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of obicere 'to throw in the way, prevent, object' , from jacere 'to throw' ]
1 . [intransitive] to feel or say that you oppose or disapprove of something:
If no one objects, I would like Mrs Harrison to be present.
object to (doing) something
Robson strongly objected to the terms of the contract.
I objected to having to rewrite the article.
I object (=used in formal arguments, for example in a court of law)
Mr Chairman, I object. That is an unfair allegation.
2 . [transitive] to state a fact or opinion as a reason for opposing or disapproving of something
object that
The group objected that the policy would prevent patients from receiving the best treatment.
‘My name’s not Sonny,’ the child objected.
⇨ ↑ objector