from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Object \Ob"ject\ ([o^]b"j[e^]kt), n. [L. objectus. See {Object},
v. t.]
1. That which is put, or which may be regarded as put, in the
way of some of the senses; something visible or tangible
and persists for an appreciable time; as, he observed an
object in the distance; all the objects in sight; he
touched a strange object in the dark.
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2. Anything which is set, or which may be regarded as set,
before the mind so as to be apprehended or known; that of
which the mind by any of its activities takes cognizance,
whether a thing external in space or a conception formed
by the mind itself; as, an object of knowledge, wonder,
fear, thought, study, etc.
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Object is a term for that about which the knowing
subject is conversant; what the schoolmen have
styled the "materia circa quam." --Sir. W.
Hamilton.
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The object of their bitterest hatred. --Macaulay.
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3. That toward which the mind, or any of its activities, is
directed; that on which the purpose are fixed as the end
of action or effort; that which is sought for; goal; end;
aim; motive; final cause.
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Object, beside its proper signification, came to be
abusively applied to denote motive, end, final cause
. . . . This innovation was probably borrowed from
the French. --Sir. W.
Hamilton.
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Let our object be, our country, our whole country,
and nothing but our country. --D. Webster.
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4. Sight; show; appearance; aspect. [Obs.] --Shak.
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He, advancing close
Up to the lake, past all the rest, arose
In glorious object. --Chapman.
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5. (Gram.) A word, phrase, or clause toward which an action
is directed, or is considered to be directed; as, the
object of a transitive verb.
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6. (Computers) Any set of data that is or can be manipulated
or referenced by a computer program as a single entity; --
the term may be used broadly, to include files, images
(such as icons on the screen), or small data structures.
More narrowly, anything defined as an object within an
object-oriented programming language.
[PJC]
7. (Ontology) Anything which exists and which has attributes;
distinguished from {attributes}, {processes}, and
{relations}.
[PJC]
{Object glass}, the lens, or system of lenses, placed at the
end of a telescope, microscope, etc., which is toward the
object. Its function is to form an image of the object,
which is then viewed by the eyepiece. Called also
{objective} or {objective lens}. See Illust. of
{Microscope}.
{Object lesson}, a lesson in which object teaching is made
use of.
{Object staff}. (Leveling) Same as {Leveling staff}.
{Object teaching}, a method of instruction, in which
illustrative objects are employed, each new word or idea
being accompanied by a representation of that which it
signifies; -- used especially in the kindergarten, for
young children.
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