OBJECT

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does object mean? 

• OBJECT (noun)
  The noun OBJECT has 5 senses:

1. a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

2. the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

3. (grammar) a constituent that is acted upon

4. the focus of cognitions or feelings

5. (computing) a discrete item that provides a description of virtually anything known to a computer

  Familiarity information: OBJECT used as a noun is common.

• OBJECT (verb)
  The verb OBJECT has 2 senses:

1. express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent

2. be averse to or express disapproval of

  Familiarity information: OBJECT used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OBJECT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

Classified under:

Nouns with no superordinates

Synonyms:

object; physical object

Context example:

it was full of rackets, balls and other objects

Hypernyms ("object" is a kind of...):

physical entity (an entity that has physical existence)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "object"):

ground; land; soil (material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use))

finding (something that is found)

floater (an object that floats or is capable of floating)

fomite; vehicle (any inanimate object (as a towel or money or clothing or dishes or books or toys etc.) that can transmit infectious agents from one person to another)

formation; geological formation ((geology) the geological features of the earth)

growth (something grown or growing)

hail (many objects thrown forcefully through the air)

head (a rounded compact mass)

ice (the frozen part of a body of water)

dry land; earth; ground; land; solid ground; terra firma (the solid part of the earth's surface)

location (a point or extent in space)

moon (any object resembling a moon)

neighbor; neighbour (a nearby object of the same kind)

remains (any object that is left unused or still extant)

ribbon; thread (any long object resembling a thin line)

shiner (something that shines (with emitted or reflected light))

vagabond (anything that resembles a vagabond in having no fixed place)

wall (anything that suggests a wall in structure or function or effect)

web (an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving)

commemorative (an object (such as a coin or postage stamp) made to mark an event or honor a person)

discard (anything that is cast aside or discarded)

unit; whole (an assemblage of parts that is regarded as a single entity)

charm; good luck charm (something believed to bring good luck)

curio; curiosity; oddity; oddment; peculiarity; rarity (something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting)

draw; lot (anything (straws or pebbles etc.) taken or chosen at random)

film (a thin coating or layer)

hoodoo (something believed to bring bad luck)

je ne sais quoi (something indescribable)

keepsake; relic; souvenir; token (something of sentimental value)

filler; makeweight (anything added to fill out a whole)

part; portion (something less than the whole of a human artifact)

prop; property (any movable articles or objects used on the set of a play or movie)

snake (something long, thin, and flexible that resembles a snake)

stuff (miscellaneous unspecified objects)

small beer; trifle; trivia; triviality (something of small importance)

paring ((usually plural) a part of a fruit or vegetable that is pared or cut off; especially the skin or peel)

catch (anything that is caught (especially if it is worth catching))

Derivation:

objectify (make external or objective, or give reality to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

aim; object; objective; target

Context example:

the sole object of her trip was to see her children

Hypernyms ("object" is a kind of...):

end; goal (the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "object"):

grail (the object of any prolonged endeavor)

business (an immediate objective)

point (the object of an activity)

thing (a special objective)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(grammar) a constituent that is acted upon

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

the object of the verb

Hypernyms ("object" is a kind of...):

constituent; grammatical constituent ((grammar) a word or phrase or clause forming part of a larger grammatical construction)

Domain category:

grammar (the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "object"):

direct object; object of the verb (the object that receives the direct action of the verb)

retained object (an object in a passive construction)

indirect object (the object that is the recipient or beneficiary of the action of the verb)

object of a preposition; prepositional object (the object governed by a preposition)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The focus of cognitions or feelings

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

the object of my affection

Hypernyms ("object" is a kind of...):

cognitive content; content; mental object (the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "object"):

love; passion (any object of warm affection or devotion)

bugbear; hobgoblin (an object of dread or apprehension)

infatuation (an object of extravagant short-lived passion)

hallucination (an object perceived during a hallucinatory episode)

execration (the object of cursing or detestation; that which is execrated)

antipathy (the object of a feeling of intense aversion; something to be avoided)

center; center of attention; centre; centre of attention (the object upon which interest and attention focuses)

Sense 5

Meaning:

(computing) a discrete item that provides a description of virtually anything known to a computer

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

in object-oriented programming, objects include data and define its status, its methods of operation and how it interacts with other objects

Hypernyms ("object" is a kind of...):

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

• OBJECT (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Express or raise an objection or protest or criticism or express dissent

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

When asked to drive the truck, she objected that she did not have a driver's license

Hypernyms (to "object" is one way to...):

disapprove; reject (deem wrong or inappropriate)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "object"):

demur; except (take exception to)

challenge; take exception (raise a formal objection in a court of law)

carp; cavil; chicane (raise trivial objections)

mind (be offended or bothered by; take offense with, be bothered by)

remonstrate (argue in protest or opposition)

make a stink; raise a stink; raise hell (take strong and forceful action, as to object or express discontent)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Something ----s to somebody
Somebody ----s PP
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

objection (the act of protesting; a public (often organized) manifestation of dissent)

objection (the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest)

objector (a person who dissents from some established policy)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be averse to or express disapproval of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

My wife objects to modern furniture

Hypernyms (to "object" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

objection (the act of protesting; a public (often organized) manifestation of dissent)

 Context examples 

I don't remember that any individual object had a bare, pinched, spare look; but I do remember that the whole place had.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It was better to die like a man; to die like a sailor in blue water no man can object.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Several times I collided against hard objects, once striking my right knee a terrible blow.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

"But think of the chickens," objected the judge.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

But I want to find out about them, and who they are, and what their object was in playing this prank—if it was a prank—upon me.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"But that is wrong," she objected. "There is the law."

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

I learned that your object was to invite Mr. Sherlock Holmes to undertake the conduct of this case.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We'll take this (editors never say I), if you don't object to a few alterations.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It was now his object to marry.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

You like it—you approve it as an object—it is enough.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)