object English · revision 4522

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1380|origins=la obicere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: noun UK /ˈɒb.dʒɪkt/, US /ˈɑːb.dʒɪkt/; verb /əbˈdʒekt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[bor|fro|object]] and directly [[der|la-med|obiectum|t=thing put before the mind or sight]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) a noun use of the neuter of Latin obiectus “lying before, opposite”, which in classical Latin as a noun meant “charges, accusations”,^(Etymonline) past participle of obicere “to present, oppose, cast in the way of”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from ob “in front of, against” and iacere “to throw”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) from [[ine-pro|*yeh₁-|alt=*ye-|t=to throw, impel]].^(Etymonline) The verb is from Old French objecter and directly from Latin obiectāre “to set against, cite as grounds for disapproval”, a frequentative of obicere.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[jet]], [[eject]] and [[project]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An objection, a statement put in opposition: about 1380 in the OED, now obsolete.^(OED 1989) A tangible thing presented to the senses: 1398 in the OED and Barnhart, in Trevisa's translation of Bartholomew,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The verb, to bring forward as a ground of opposition: about 1400.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The earliest idea was of putting something in the way of something else, hence “to oppose”; an obstacle in the path is something that can be seen, which gave the noun its sense of a visible thing.^(Cresswell 2021) An obstacle or hindrance is from about 1450,^(OED 1989) about 1500 in Etymonline, and survives in ''no object'', “not a thing that matters” (1782).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A purpose or thing aimed at is from the early 15th century in Etymonline^(Etymonline) and 1597 in the OED,^(OED 1989) that toward which thought or feeling is directed from about 1586,^(OED 1989) and something that excites an emotion, as an ''object of pity'', from 1588.^(OED 1989) The grammatical object is from 1729.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''Object lesson'' is from 1831.^(Etymonline) The verb had many senses in the 16th century, such as to place in the way, to expose to danger, and to present to the senses, all now obsolete.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1380 – an objection (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1398 – a thing perceived by the senses.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1400 – verb, to raise an objection.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1450 – an obstacle.^(OED 1989)

+ * early 15th century – a purpose.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1588 – an object of an emotion.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1729 – in grammar.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1782 – ''no object''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1831 – ''object lesson''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A material thing that can be seen or touched.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person or thing toward which feeling, thought or action is directed: ''an object of pity''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A purpose or [[aim]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(grammar)'' A noun or pronoun that receives the action of a [[verb]] or follows a preposition.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(computing)'' A unit of data together with the operations that act on it.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To express opposition or disapproval; to raise an [[objection]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To state as an objection: ''he objected that the fee was too high''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[objector]]

+ * [[objectless]]

+ * [[objectlessness]]

+ * [[superobject]]

+ * [[object-oriented]]

+ * [[objectify]]

+ * [[objectionable]]

+ * [[objective]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[objection]]

+ * [[jet]]

+ * [[eject]]

+ * [[project]]

+ * [[subject]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}