diff --git a/src/mudlib/object.py b/src/mudlib/object.py
index 79f54f1..aff45c5 100644
--- a/src/mudlib/object.py
+++ b/src/mudlib/object.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 
 
@@ -22,11 +23,24 @@ class Object:
     _contents: list[Object] = field(
         default_factory=list, init=False, repr=False, compare=False
     )
+    _verbs: dict[str, Callable[..., Awaitable[None]]] = field(
+        default_factory=dict, init=False, repr=False, compare=False
+    )
 
     def __post_init__(self) -> None:
         if self.location is not None:
             self.location._contents.append(self)
 
+        # Auto-register verbs from @verb decorated methods
+        for attr_name in dir(self):
+            # Skip private/magic attributes
+            if attr_name.startswith("_"):
+                continue
+            attr = getattr(self, attr_name)
+            # Check if this is a verb-decorated method
+            if hasattr(attr, "_verb_name"):
+                self.register_verb(attr._verb_name, attr)
+
     @property
     def contents(self) -> list[Object]:
         """Everything whose location is this object."""
@@ -61,3 +75,17 @@ class Object:
     def can_accept(self, obj: Object) -> bool:
         """Whether this object accepts obj as contents. Default: no."""
         return False
+
+    def register_verb(
+        self, name: str, handler: Callable[..., Awaitable[None]]
+    ) -> None:
+        """Register a verb handler on this object."""
+        self._verbs[name] = handler
+
+    def get_verb(self, name: str) -> Callable[..., Awaitable[None]] | None:
+        """Get a verb handler by name, or None if not found."""
+        return self._verbs.get(name)
+
+    def has_verb(self, name: str) -> bool:
+        """Check if this object has a verb registered."""
+        return name in self._verbs
diff --git a/src/mudlib/verbs.py b/src/mudlib/verbs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..169283d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mudlib/verbs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+"""Verb system for interactive objects."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Callable
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from mudlib.object import Object
+    from mudlib.player import Player
+
+
+def verb(name: str) -> Callable:
+    """Decorator to mark a method as a verb handler.
+
+    Usage:
+        class Fountain(Thing):
+            @verb("drink")
+            async def drink(self, player, args):
+                await player.send("You drink from the fountain.\\r\\n")
+    """
+
+    def decorator(func: Callable) -> Callable:
+        func._verb_name = name  # type: ignore
+        return func
+
+    return decorator
+
+
+def find_object(name: str, player: Player) -> Object | None:
+    """Find an object by name or alias.
+
+    Searches inventory first, then ground at player position.
+    Works on all Objects that have a name and optional aliases attribute.
+    """
+    name_lower = name.lower()
+
+    # Search inventory first
+    for obj in player.contents:
+        if obj.name.lower() == name_lower:
+            return obj
+        # Check aliases if the object has them
+        aliases = getattr(obj, "aliases", None)
+        if aliases and name_lower in (a.lower() for a in aliases):
+            return obj
+
+    # Search ground at player position
+    if player.location is not None:
+        from mudlib.zone import Zone
+
+        if isinstance(player.location, Zone):
+            for obj in player.location.contents_at(player.x, player.y):
+                if obj is player:
+                    continue
+                if obj.name.lower() == name_lower:
+                    return obj
+                # Check aliases if the object has them
+                aliases = getattr(obj, "aliases", None)
+                if aliases and name_lower in (a.lower() for a in aliases):
+                    return obj
+
+    return None
diff --git a/tests/test_verbs.py b/tests/test_verbs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..800157d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_verbs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+"""Tests for the verb system on Object."""
+
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+
+import pytest
+
+from mudlib.object import Object
+from mudlib.player import Player
+from mudlib.thing import Thing
+from mudlib.verbs import find_object, verb
+from mudlib.zone import Zone
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_writer():
+    writer = MagicMock()
+    writer.write = MagicMock()
+    writer.drain = AsyncMock()
+    return writer
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_reader():
+    return MagicMock()
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_zone():
+    terrain = [["." for _ in range(10)] for _ in range(10)]
+    return Zone(name="testzone", width=10, height=10, terrain=terrain)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def player(mock_reader, mock_writer, test_zone):
+    return Player(
+        name="TestPlayer",
+        x=5,
+        y=5,
+        reader=mock_reader,
+        writer=mock_writer,
+        location=test_zone,
+    )
+
+
+def test_object_starts_with_empty_verbs():
+    """Object starts with empty _verbs dict."""
+    obj = Object(name="rock")
+    assert obj._verbs == {}
+
+
+def test_register_verb():
+    """register_verb adds a verb to the _verbs dict."""
+
+    async def test_handler(obj, player, args):
+        pass
+
+    obj = Object(name="fountain")
+    obj.register_verb("drink", test_handler)
+    assert "drink" in obj._verbs
+    assert obj._verbs["drink"] is test_handler
+
+
+def test_get_verb_returns_handler():
+    """get_verb returns the registered handler."""
+
+    async def test_handler(obj, player, args):
+        pass
+
+    obj = Object(name="fountain")
+    obj.register_verb("drink", test_handler)
+    assert obj.get_verb("drink") is test_handler
+
+
+def test_get_verb_returns_none_for_unknown():
+    """get_verb returns None for unknown verb."""
+    obj = Object(name="rock")
+    assert obj.get_verb("nonexistent") is None
+
+
+def test_has_verb_returns_true_when_present():
+    """has_verb returns True when verb is registered."""
+
+    async def test_handler(obj, player, args):
+        pass
+
+    obj = Object(name="fountain")
+    obj.register_verb("drink", test_handler)
+    assert obj.has_verb("drink") is True
+
+
+def test_has_verb_returns_false_when_absent():
+    """has_verb returns False when verb is not registered."""
+    obj = Object(name="rock")
+    assert obj.has_verb("drink") is False
+
+
+def test_verb_decorator_marks_method():
+    """@verb decorator marks method with _verb_name attribute."""
+
+    class TestObject(Object):
+        @verb("test")
+        async def test_verb(self, player, args):
+            pass
+
+    assert hasattr(TestObject.test_verb, "_verb_name")
+    assert TestObject.test_verb._verb_name == "test"
+
+
+def test_verb_decorator_auto_registers_on_instantiation():
+    """Class with @verb methods auto-registers verbs on instantiation."""
+
+    class Fountain(Thing):
+        @verb("drink")
+        async def drink(self, player, args):
+            pass
+
+    fountain = Fountain(name="fountain")
+    assert fountain.has_verb("drink")
+    assert fountain.get_verb("drink") is not None
+
+
+def test_multiple_verbs_on_same_class():
+    """Multiple verbs on same class all register."""
+
+    class Fountain(Thing):
+        @verb("drink")
+        async def drink(self, player, args):
+            pass
+
+        @verb("splash")
+        async def splash(self, player, args):
+            pass
+
+    fountain = Fountain(name="fountain")
+    assert fountain.has_verb("drink")
+    assert fountain.has_verb("splash")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_verb_handler_can_be_called(player):
+    """Verb handler can be called as an async function."""
+    called = False
+    received_args = None
+
+    class Fountain(Thing):
+        @verb("drink")
+        async def drink(self, player, args):
+            nonlocal called, received_args
+            called = True
+            received_args = args
+
+    fountain = Fountain(name="fountain")
+    handler = fountain.get_verb("drink")
+    assert handler is not None
+    # handler is a bound method, so we don't pass self/fountain again
+    await handler(player, "from the left side")
+
+    assert called
+    assert received_args == "from the left side"
+
+
+def test_verb_registered_on_parent_class_propagates_to_subclass():
+    """Verb registered on parent class propagates to subclass instances."""
+
+    class BaseFountain(Thing):
+        @verb("drink")
+        async def drink(self, player, args):
+            pass
+
+    class FancyFountain(BaseFountain):
+        @verb("splash")
+        async def splash(self, player, args):
+            pass
+
+    fancy = FancyFountain(name="fancy fountain")
+    assert fancy.has_verb("drink")
+    assert fancy.has_verb("splash")
+
+
+def test_find_object_by_name_in_inventory(player):
+    """find_object finds object by name in inventory."""
+    sword = Thing(name="sword", location=player)
+    found = find_object("sword", player)
+    assert found is sword
+
+
+def test_find_object_by_alias_in_inventory(player):
+    """find_object finds object by alias in inventory."""
+    can = Thing(name="pepsi can", aliases=["can", "pepsi"], location=player)
+    found = find_object("can", player)
+    assert found is can
+
+
+def test_find_object_by_name_on_ground(player, test_zone):
+    """find_object finds object by name on ground."""
+    rock = Thing(name="rock", location=test_zone, x=5, y=5)
+    found = find_object("rock", player)
+    assert found is rock
+
+
+def test_find_object_by_alias_on_ground(player, test_zone):
+    """find_object finds object by alias on ground."""
+    can = Thing(
+        name="pepsi can", aliases=["can", "pepsi"], location=test_zone, x=5, y=5
+    )
+    found = find_object("pepsi", player)
+    assert found is can
+
+
+def test_find_object_prefers_inventory_over_ground(player, test_zone):
+    """find_object prefers inventory over ground when matching object in both."""
+    Thing(name="sword", location=test_zone, x=5, y=5)
+    inv_sword = Thing(name="sword", location=player)
+    found = find_object("sword", player)
+    assert found is inv_sword
+
+
+def test_find_object_returns_none_when_nothing_matches(player):
+    """find_object returns None when nothing matches."""
+    found = find_object("nonexistent", player)
+    assert found is None
+
+
+def test_find_object_searches_all_objects_not_just_things(player, test_zone):
+    """find_object searches all Objects, not just Things."""
+
+    class CustomObject(Object):
+        def __init__(self, name, aliases=None, **kwargs):
+            super().__init__(name=name, **kwargs)
+            self.aliases = aliases or []
+
+    custom = CustomObject(name="widget", aliases=["gadget"], location=player)
+    found = find_object("widget", player)
+    assert found is custom
+    found_by_alias = find_object("gadget", player)
+    assert found_by_alias is custom
+
+
+def test_find_object_skips_self(player, test_zone):
+    """find_object should not return the querying player."""
+    player.move_to(test_zone, x=0, y=0)
+    result = find_object(player.name, player)
+    assert result is None