̈ɪˈɔbdʒɪkt n. & v. --n. 1 a
material thing that can be
seen or touched. 2 (foll. by of) a
person or thing to
which action or
feeling is directed (the object of
attention;
the object of
our study). 3 a thing
sought or aimed
at; a
purpose. 4 Gram. a
noun or
its equivalent governed by an
active transitive verb or by a
preposition. 5 Philos. a thing
external to the
thinking mind or
subject. 6 derog. a person or thing of
esp. a
pathetic or
ridiculous appearance. 7 Computing a
package of
information and a
description of its manipulation. --v. 1 intr. (often foll. by
to, against) express or
feel opposition, disapproval, or reluctance;
protest (I object to
being treated like
this; objecting
against government policies). 2 tr. (foll. by that + clause)
state as an
objection (objected that
they were kept waiting). 3 tr. (foll. by to, against, or that + clause)
adduce (a
quality or fact) as
contrary or damaging (to a case). øno object
not forming an
important or restricting
factor (money no object). object-ball
Billiards etc. that at which a
player aims the cue-ball. object-glass the
lens in a
telescope etc. nearest to the object observed. object
language 1 a language described by
means of
another language (see METALANGUAGE). 2 Computing a language
into which a program is translated by means of a
compiler or
assembler. object-lesson a
striking practical example of
some principle. object of the
exercise the main
point of an
activity. øøobjectless adj. objector n. [ME f. med.L objectum thing presented to the mind,
past part. of L objicere (as
OB-, jacere jectthrow)]
