erect

adj.

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

tr.v., e·rect·ed, e·rect·ing, e·rects.

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

[Middle English, from Latin ērēctus, past participle of ērigere, to set up : ē-, ex-, ex- + regere, to guide.]

erectable e·rect'a·ble adj.
erectly e·rect'ly adv.
erectness e·rect'ness n.

adjective

Directed or pointed upward: raised, upright, upstanding. See horizontal/vertical/change of position.

verb

1. To make or form (a structure): build, construct, put up, raise, rear². See make/unmake.
2. To raise upright: pitch, put up, raise, rear², set up, upraise, uprear. See horizontal/vertical/change of position, rise/fall.

adj

Definition: straight up
Antonyms: prone, prostrate

v

Definition: build; establish
Antonyms: raze, topple

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IN BRIEF: Straight up. Also: To put up or together.

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. Let us not erect walls without doors of friendliness or windows of love. — Joseph Fort Newton (1878-1950).

Tutor's tip: Be careful not to "eruct" (to belch) if you want to "erect" (to raise; to construct; to assemble) a house of cards!

Common misspelling(s) of erected

• erested

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - opretstående, erigeret, stiv, opsvulmet, strittende
v. tr. - rejse, opsætte, grundlægge, opføre, stifte, opstille, erigere

Nederlands (Dutch)
oprichten, (op)bouwen, stichten, verheffen, rechtop

Français (French)
adj. - droit, dressé, debout, (Physiol) en érection
v. tr. - ériger, dresser, bâtir, construire, monter (un échafaudage, un meuble), (fig) bâtir (une théorie), élever (des obstacles)

Deutsch (German)
v. - errichten, aufstellen
adj. - aufrecht, gerade, erigiert

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ανεγείρω, χτίζω, υψώνω, εγείρομαι, (αν)ορθώνω, ορθιάζω, στήνω (όρθιο)
adj. - στητός, ευθυτενής, ολόρθος, όρθιος, σηκωμένος, ανυψωμένος, (φυσιολ.) σε στύση

Italiano (Italian)
erigere, innalzare, eretto

Português (Portuguese)
v. - erigir, levantar, construir
adj. - ereto, firme

Русский (Russian)
строить, воздвигать, создавать, учреждать, прямой, стоячий

Español (Spanish)
adj. - erecto, derecho, erguido, vertical
v. tr. - erigir, levantar, alzar, enderezar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - uppresa, bygga, bilda, upphöja
adj. - upprätt

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
直立的, 笔直的, 竖立的, 使竖立, 树立, 使直立

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 直立的, 筆直的, 豎立的
v. tr. - 使豎立, 樹立, 使直立

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 똑바로 선, 정신을 바짝 차린
v. tr. - 똑바로 세우다, 승격 시키다, 건설하다

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 真っすぐな, 直立した, 勃起した, 硬直した
v. - 建てる, まっすぐに立てる, 直立させる, 制定する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) ينتصب, يبني (صفه) قائم, منتصب‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮זקוף, מאונך‬
v. tr. - ‮הציב, העמיד, הקים, בנה‬

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