erect

American  

[ih-rekt] / ɪˈrɛkt /

adjective

1. upright in position or posture.

   to stand or sit erect.

   Synonyms:

   vertical, standing

2. raised or directed upward.

   a dog with ears erect.

3. Botany. vertical throughout; not spreading or declined.

   an erect stem;

   an erect leaf or ovule.

4. Heraldry.

   1. (of a charge) represented vertically, following the line of a pale.

      a sword erect.

   2. (of an animal or part of an animal) represented upright.

      a boar's head erect.

5. Optics. (of an image) having the same position as the object; not inverted.

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verb (used with object)

1. to build; construct; raise.

   to erect a house.

   Synonyms:

   upraise, upend, set up, put up

2. to raise and set in an upright or vertical position.

   to erect a telegraph pole.

3. to set up or establish, as an institution; found.

4. to bring about; cause to come into existence.

   to erect barriers to progress.

5. Geometry. to draw or construct (a line or figure) upon a given line, base, or the like.

6. to form or create legally (usually followed byinto ).

   to erect a territory into a state.

7. Optics. to change (an inverted image) to the normal position.

8. Machinery. to assemble; make ready for use.

verb (used without object)

1. to become erect; stand up or out.

erect British  

/ ɪˈrɛkt /

adjective

1. upright in posture or position; not bent or leaning

   an erect stance

2. (of an optical image) having the same orientation as the object; not inverted

3. physiol (of the penis, clitoris, or nipples) firm or rigid after swelling with blood, esp as a result of sexual excitement

4. (of plant parts) growing vertically or at right angles to the parts from which they arise

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verb

1. to put up; construct; build

2. to raise to an upright position; lift up

   to erect a flagpole

3. to found or form; set up

4. (also intr) physiol to become or cause to become firm or rigid by filling with blood

5. to hold up as an ideal; exalt

6. optics to change (an inverted image) to an upright position

7. to draw or construct (a line, figure, etc) on a given line or figure, esp at right angles to it

Related Words

See upright.

Other Word Forms

• erectable adjective
• erectly adverb
• erectness noun
• nonerecting adjective
• preerect verb (used with object)
• reerect verb (used with object)
• semierect adjective
• semierectly adverb
• semierectness noun
• suberect adjective
• suberectly adverb
• suberectness noun
• unerect adjective

Etymology

Origin of erect

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin ērēctus “raised up” (past participle of ērigere ), equivalent to ē- e- ¹ + reg- “guide, direct” ( royal ) + -tus past participle suffix

Example Sentences

There is already a statue of Bradman by Adelaide's eastern gates and the head of South Australia's local government has already put forward the idea of erecting one of Head beside it.

From BBC

“This could involve erecting barriers to protect strategically relevant sectors.”

From The Wall Street Journal

On the other side was a data center run by Centrin Data, which also erected windmills and solar panels in the region.

From The Wall Street Journal

Kosdaq erected fewer barriers for entry and its legal process was simpler, he said.

From MarketWatch

To gather the advanced weather data, it erected 12 remote weather stations around the Bear River Basin, which feeds the Great Salt Lake.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• assemble
• construct
• create
• found
• hoist
• initiate
• mount
• organize
• put up
• raise
• set up
• stand