arvorar

Senses

1. 1.

   to hoist, to raise

   to raise a flag, banner, or sail up high

2. 2.

   to claim to be, to set oneself up as

   to assume a title, role, or authority (often without legitimate basis)

3. 3.

   to bristle, to stand on end

   to make hair or feathers stand up (reflexive or transitive)

Examples

• "Os soldados arvoraram a bandeira nacional no topo da montanha."

  The soldiers hoisted the national flag at the top of the mountain.

• "Ele se arvora em especialista, mas não tem formação na área."

  He sets himself up as an expert, but he has no training in the field.

• "O gato arvorou os pelos quando viu o cachorro."

  The cat's fur bristled when it saw the dog.

Usage

Most commonly used reflexively as "arvorar-se em" meaning to claim to be something (often with a negative connotation of pretension or arrogance). The literal sense of hoisting flags is more formal/literary. The bristling sense is less common in everyday speech.