Longman Dictionary of

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O
object 1 n
the noun, noun phrase or clause, or pronoun in sentences with TRANSITIVE
VERBs, which is traditionally described as being affected by the action of
the verb. The object of a verb can be affected by the verb either directly
or indirectly.
If it is affected directly, it may be called the direct object. In English, the
direct object of a verb may be:
a created by the action of the verb, as in:
Terry baked a cake.
b changed in some way by the action of the verb as in:
Terry baked a potato .
c perceived by the SUBJECT of the verb, as in:
Terry saw the cake.
d evaluated by the subject of the verb, as in:
Terry liked the cake.
e obtained or possessed by the subject of the verb, as in:
Terry bought the cake.
If the object of a verb is affected by the verb indirectly, it is usually called
the indirect object. In English, the indirect object may be:
a the receiver of the direct object, as in:
Terry gave me the cake. ( “Terry gave the cake to me”)
b the beneficiary of the action of the verb, as in:
Terry baked me the cake. ( “Terry baked the cake for me”)
In English, direct objects and many indirect objects can become subjects
when sentences in the active voice are changed to the passive voice (see
VOICE 1 ):
The cake was given (to) me.
I was given the cake.
see also GOAL 1 , OBJECT OF RESULT
object 2 (of a preposition) n
another term for PREPOSITIONAL COMPLEMENT
see COMPLEMENT
object case n
another term for OBJECTIVE CASE
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