<p><strong>adjective</strong></p><ul><li>upright in position or posture: to stand or sit erect.</li><li>vertical throughout; not spreading or declined: an erect stem; an erect leaf or ovule.</li><li>(of a charge) represented vertically, following the line of a pale: a sword erect.</li><li>(of an animal or part of an animal) represented upright: a boar's head erect.</li><li>(of an image) having the same position as the object; not inverted.</li></ul><p><strong>verb (used with object)</strong></p><ul><li>to build; construct; raise: to erect a house.</li><li>to raise and set in an upright or vertical position: to erect a telegraph pole.</li><li>to set up or establish, as an institution; found.</li><li>to bring about; cause to come into existence: to erect barriers to progress.</li><li>to draw or construct (a line or figure) upon a given line, base, or the like.</li><li>to form or create legally (usually followed by into): to erect a territory into a state.</li><li>to change (an inverted image) to the normal position.</li><li>to assemble; make ready for use.</li></ul><p><strong>verb (used without object)</strong></p><ul><li>to become erect; stand up or out.</li></ul>