a. [ L. erectus, p. p. of erigere to erect; e out + regere to lead straight. See Right, and cf. Alert. ] 1. Upright, or having a vertical position; not inverted; not leaning or bent; not prone; as, to stand erect. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Among the Greek colonies and churches of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect -- a column of ruins. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Directed upward; raised; uplifted. [ 1913 Webster ]

His piercing eyes, erect, appear to view
Superior worlds, and look all nature through. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Bold; confident; free from depression; undismayed. [ 1913 Webster ]

But who is he, by years
Bowed, but erect in heart? Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Watchful; alert. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vigilant and erect attention of mind. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Bot.) Standing upright, with reference to the earth's surface, or to the surface to which it is attached. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Her.) Elevated, as the tips of wings, heads of serpents, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Erected; p. pr. & vb. n. Erecting. ] 1. To raise and place in an upright or perpendicular position; to set upright; to raise; as, to erect a pole, a flagstaff, a monument, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To raise, as a building; to build; to construct; as, to erect a house or a fort; to set up; to put together the component parts of, as of a machine. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To lift up; to elevate; to exalt; to magnify. [ 1913 Webster ]

That didst his state above his hopes erect. Daniel. [ 1913 Webster ]

I, who am a party, am not to erect myself into a judge. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To animate; to encourage; to cheer. [ 1913 Webster ]

It raiseth the dropping spirit, erecting it to a loving complaisance. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To set up as an assertion or consequence from premises, or the like. “To erect conclusions.” Sir T. Browne. “Malebranche erects this proposition.” Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To set up or establish; to found; to form; to institute. “To erect a new commonwealth.” Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Erecting shop (Mach.), a place where large machines, as engines, are put together and adjusted.

Syn. -- To set up; raise; elevate; construct; build; institute; establish; found. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To rise upright. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

By wet, stalks do erect. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>a. Capable of being erected; as, an erectable feather. Col. G. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An erector; one who raises or builds. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. érectile. ] 1. Capable of being erected; susceptible of being erected of dilated; as, erectile tissue. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to an erection{ 5 }; as, erectile dysfunction. [ PJC ]

Erectile tissue (Anat.), a tissue, such as that contained in the penis, which is capable of being greatly dilated and made rigid by accumulation of blood in and the consequent distension of the numerous blood vessels which it contains. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being erectile. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the act of building or putting up.
Syn. -- erection. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. erectio: cf. F. érection. ] 1. The act of erecting, or raising upright; the act of constructing, as a building or a wall, or of fitting together the parts of, as a machine; the act of founding or establishing, as a commonwealth or an office; also, the act of rousing to excitement or courage. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being erected, lifted up, built, established, or founded; exaltation of feelings or purposes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Her peerless height my mind to high erection draws up. Sidney [ 1913 Webster ]

3. State of being stretched to stiffness; tension. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Anything erected; a building of any kind. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Physiol.) The state of a body part which, from having been soft, has become hard and swollen by the accumulation of blood in the erectile tissue; -- used especially of the penis; as, to get or have an erection. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. Making erect or upright; raising; tending to erect. [ 1913 Webster ]