965
obnoxious
o·bese /əuˈbiːs/ adj fml very fat; unhealthily fat ➔ see FAT
(USAGE) —obesity n [U]
**CULTURAL NOTE** More and more people seem to be
becoming obese, and it is considered an important health
problem in the US. The UK also now has more obese
people than it did in the past, though not as many as in
the US. Doctors are especially worried because more
children are becoming obese, and they will probably have
many health problems, such as heart disease or DIABETES
when they are older. Doctors and other people think that
the main cause is that people do not get enough exercise
and eat too much JUNK FOOD. Some people who are
obese have even tried to SUE restaurants that serve FAST
FOOD, saying that there should be more warnings about
the fat levels in fast food and how it can affect your
health. Most people who are obese have tried many
different DIETS, and some even have medical operations to
try to lose weight.
**o·bey** /əuˈbeɪ, ə-/ v 1 [I;T] to do what one is told to do (by
someone in a position of power), or act in accordance with
(orders, laws etc): *Soldiers are expected to obey (their officers/
their orders) without question.* | *to obey the law* 2 she who
**must be obeyed** infml, humor a phrase used for a woman (for
example, one's wife) who one does not wish or dare to
displease: 'Are you coming for a drink tonight?' 'Better not.
*She who must be obeyed wants to go to the pictures.*' ➔
opposite DISOBEY
**ob·fus·cate** /ˈbfʌskeɪt||ˈɑːb-/ v [T] fml to confuse or make
difficult to understand, perhaps intentionally: *The report
obfuscates the principal points.*
—cation
/ˌɒbfəˈskeɪʃn||ˌɑːb-/ n [U]
**ob/gyn** /ˌəʊbi ˈgaɪn/ n short for OBSTETRICS and GYNAECOL-
OGY, two branches of medicine that are often combined in
medical schools and hospitals
**O·bie A·ward** /ˈəʊbi əˌwɔːd||ˈəʊbi ˈɔː-ˌwɔːrd/ also The Village
**Voice Off-Broadway Award** n a prize given to plays in
the theatres of the OFF BROADWAY area of New York City
**o·bit·u·ar·y** /əˈbɪtʃʊəri||-ˌtʃueri/ also **o·bit** /ˈəʊbɪt/ infml — n
a formal report, especially in a newspaper, that someone has
died, usually with an account of the dead person's life: *an
obituary notice/column*
**ob·ject¹** /ˈɒbdʒɪkt||ˈɑːb-/ n 1 a thing that can be seen or
felt: *What's that little black object?* | *an unidentified
object* 2 [+of] something or someone that produces interest,
attention, or some other stated feeling: *an object of
admiration/of fear* | *She has become an object of pity/
contempt.* 3 purpose; aim: *The object of his visit was to open
the new hospital.* | *The new law turned public opinion against
the government, which was not the object of the exercise.*
(=not the intended result) 4 tech (in grammar) a noun, noun
phrase, or PRONOUN etc representing **a)** the person or thing
(the direct object) that something is done to, such as *house* in
*We built a house*, or **b)** the person (the indirect object)
who is concerned in the result of an action, such as *her* in *I
gave her the book* or in *I gave the book to her*, or **c)** the person
or thing that is joined by a PREPOSITION to another word or
phrase, such as *table* in: *He sat on the table.* ➔ compare
SUBJECT | 5 no object not a difficulty: *I want the best you can
find – money (is) no object.* (=I don't care what it costs)
**ob·ject²** /əbˈdʒekt/ v 1 [I(to)] to be against something or
someone; feel or show opposition or disapproval: *I'd like to
open the window, if no one objects.* | *I strongly object to being
treated like a child/to his treating me like a child.* | *They object
on religious grounds (=for religious reasons) to this new
law.* 2 [T+(that):] to give as an argument against something: *I
wanted to climb the hill, but Bill objected that he was too tired.*
—**or** n
**object code** n [U] ➔ see MACHINE CODE
**ob·jec·ti·fy** /əbˈdʒektɪfaɪ/ v [T] fml to treat a person or idea
as a physical object: *a culture that objectifies women*
—**objectification** /əbˌdʒektɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/ n [U]
**ob·jec·tion** /əbˈdʒekʃn/ n 1 [(to)] a statement or feeling of
opposition or disapproval: *to raise/voice an objection* | *If no
one has any objections, I'll declare the meeting closed.* 2 [(to,
against)] a reason or argument against: *The only objection
(to/against hiring her) is that she can't drive.*
**ob-jec-tion-a-ble** /əbˈdʒekʃənəbl/ adj likely to be
objected to; unpleasant; offensive: *objectionable behaviour*
—**bly** adv
**ob·jec·tive¹** /əbˈdʒektɪv/ adj 1 [no comp.] existing outside
the mind; real: *objective facts/reality* 2 not influenced by
personal feelings or opinions; fair: *an objective analysis of
the political situation* | *Try to be more objective about it.* ➔
opposite SUBJECTIVE 3 tech (in grammar) of the object —**ly**
adv: *Objectively (speaking), he can't possibly succeed.* —**tivity**
/ˌɒbdʒekˈtɪvɪti||ˌɑːb-/ n [U]
**objective²** n an aim, especially one that must be worked
towards over a long period; GOAL: *Our objective is (to achieve)
full employment.* | *We have succeeded in our main objectives.*
**'object lesson** n [(in)] an event or story from which one can
learn how or how not to behave: *Her career is an object
lesson in determination.*
**ob·jet d'art** /ˌɒbʒeɪ ˈdɑː(r)||ˌɑːb-/ *n pl.* **objets d'art** (same
pronunciation) an object, usually small, of some value as art
**ob·la·tion** /əˈbleɪʃn/ n [(to) often pl.] fml or tech a religious
offering
**ob·li·gate** /ˈɒblɪɡeɪt||ˈɑːb-/ v [T+obj+to-v; usually pass.] AmE or fml
to make (someone) feel it necessary (to do something),
especially because of a sense of duty: *He felt obligated to visit
his parents.*
**ob·li·ga·tion** /ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃn||ˌɑːb-/ n [C;U] 1 a condition or
influence that makes it necessary for someone to do some-
thing; duty: [+to-v] *You can look around the shop with no
obligation to buy.* | *Everyone has a legal obligation to provide
the tax office with details of their earnings.* | *to fulfil one's
obligations* 2 under an obligation (to): **a)** having a duty
(to): *We are invited, but we are under no obligation to go.* **b)**
having to be grateful (to): *Her kindness has placed me under
an obligation to her.*
**ob·lig·a·to·ry** /əˈblɪɡətəri||-ˌtɔːri/ adj fml which must be done
by law, rule etc; COMPULSORY: *If you are a member, attend-
ance at the meeting is obligatory.* ➔ opposites OPTIONAL,
VOLUNTARY
**o·blige** /əˈblaɪdʒ/ v 1 [T+obj+to-v; often pass.] to make it neces-
sary for (someone) to do something: *Falling profits obliged
them to close the factory.* | *I felt obliged to leave after such an
unpleasant quarrel.* 2 [I;T] to do (someone) a favour; fulfil
the wishes (of): *Could you oblige me by opening the window?*|
*Could you oblige me with a match?* (=please give me a
match) | *I'd be obliged if you would stop interfering.* (=please
stop) | *They asked her for more information, and she willingly
obliged.* 3 (I'm) much obliged (to you) polite (I'm) very
grateful (to you)
**o·blig·ing** /əˈblaɪdʒɪŋ/ adj willing and eager to help —**ly** adv
**o·blique¹** /əˈbliːk/ adj 1 indirect: *oblique hints* | *an oblique
reference* 2 having a sloping direction or position: *an
oblique line* 3 (of an angle) either more or less than 90
degrees
**oblique²** also **o'blique stroke** also **slash (mark)**
**solidus stroke** n a mark (/) used for writing FRACTIONS, for
separating numbers etc. In this dictionary it is used for
separating two or more possible choices of words, and in
pairs for enclosing pronunciations.
**o·blit·er·ate** /əˈblɪtəreɪt/ v [T] 1 to remove all signs of;
destroy completely: *The village was obliterated in the bomb-
ing raid.* 2 to cover completely; BLOT out: *Storm clouds
obliterated the sun.* —**ation** /əˌblɪtəˈreɪʃn/ n [U]
**o·bliv·i-on** /əˈblɪviən/ n [U] 1 the state of being completely
forgotten: *The ancient civilization fell/sank into oblivion.* |
*The unsuccessful candidate was consigned to (political)
oblivion.* 2 the state of being unconscious or not noticing
one's surroundings; obliviousness: *This drug promises
instant oblivion.*
**o·bliv·i-ous** /əˈblɪviəs/ adj [(to, of)] not noticing; UNAWARE: *He
was oblivious of/to the danger.* —**ly** adv —**ness** n [U]
**ob·long** /ˈɒblɒŋ||ˈɑːblɔːŋ/ n, adj of or being a shape with four
straight sides that is longer than it is wide: *an oblong
room/circle* ➔ compare RECTANGLE, SQUARE —**oblong** adj
**ob·lo·quy** /ˈɒbləkwɪ||ˈɑːb-/ n [U] fml 1 strong words spoken
against someone; ABUSE 2 loss of respect and honour; DIS-
GRACE
**ob·nox·ious** /əbˈnɒkʃəs||-ˈnɑːk-/ adj fml very unpleasant or