object, abject

Object or object means thing, or something visible or tangible--
Can you find the hidden object in this picture?
Can you tell me what this object is used for?

Object may mean the person or thing to which thought or action is directed--
His celebrity made him an object of curiosity wherever he went.
She became the object of scandal-mongering when her husband  disappeared.

Object is also a grammar term, meaning the person or thing upon which an action is performed--
When I say "Susie likes ice cream," "Susie" is the subject and "ice cream" is the object.
Find the object in this sentence: "He threw the ball."  "Ball" is correct.

Object may also mean goal or purpose--
The object of this exercise is to help the members of our group get to know one another.
Finding the hidden treasure is the object of our excursion.

Object may also mean to disagree or offer an argument in opposition to--
A lawyer may object to the use of hearsay evidence by the opposing counsel.
I object to the way this meeting is being run!

Abject or abject means hopeless, demoralizing, or wretched, --
Some animals kept in cages live in abject misery.
Will the goal of eliminating abject poverty ever be achieved?

Now that you know that, you can say
"The poor man lived out his days in abject despair after the object of his affections left him."