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erect

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The definition of erect is standing straight up or stiff.

(adjective)

An example of something erect is a tall building.

Erect is defined as to raise, construct or put in an upright position.

(verb)

An example of erect is to build a four-story apartment house.

See erect in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

not bending or leaning; straight up; upright; vertical
sticking out or up; bristling; stiff
Archaic
1. not depressed; uplifted
2. alert

Origin: ME < L erectus, pp. of erigere, to set up < e-, out, up + regere, to make straight: see right

transitive verb

to raise or construct (a building, etc.)
to set up; cause to arise: to erect arbitrary social barriers
to set in an upright position; raise
to set up; assemble
Archaic to establish; found
Geom. to construct or draw (a perpendicular, figure, etc.) upon a base line
Physiol. to cause to become swollen and rigid by being filled with blood

Related Forms:

erectly adverb
erectness noun

See erect in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

Being in a vertical, upright position: an erect lily stalk; an erect posture.
Being in a stiff, rigid physiological condition.
Archaic Wide-awake; alert.

transitive verb e·rect·ed, e·rect·ing, e·rects

To construct by assembling: erect a skyscraper.
To raise to a rigid or upright condition.
To fix in an upright position.
To set up; establish: erect a dynasty.
Mathematics To construct (a perpendicular, for example) from or on a given base.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Latin ērēctus

Origin: , past participle of ērigere, to set up

Origin: : ē-, ex-, ex-

Origin: + regere, to guide; see reg- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

e·rectˈa·ble adjective

e·rectˈly adverb

e·rectˈness noun

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