derrick

noun

der·rick | \ ˈder-ik

, ˈde-rik\

Definition of derrick

1 : a hoisting apparatus employing a tackle rigged at the end of a beam

2 : a framework or tower over a deep drill hole (as of an oil well) for supporting boring tackle or for hoisting and lowering

Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about derrick

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Did You Know?

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, London was the home of a notorious executioner named Derick. Among those he beheaded was the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, who according to a street ballad of the time had once saved the life of the ungrateful executioner. While members of the nobility were accorded the courtesy of beheading, it was the lot of commoners to be hanged, and those sent to face the rope at the hands of the executioner Derick nicknamed the gallows at Tyburn after him. Throughout the 17th century, "derick" was used as a name for both hangman and gallows. After the days of public hangings, the word derrick was adopted as a name for a number of less ominous frameworks or towers.

Examples of derrick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In a caravan next to a roaring derrick a Canadian oilman and his team from Crescent Petroleum, a company based in the United Arab Emirates, watch for the first signs of gas. — The Economist, "Two years after a disastrous referendum, Iraq’s Kurds are prospering," 15 June 2019 One stevedore told me he has seen divers sent down to tie chains to cars that fall into the harbor so that the derrick could lift them back out. — Rowan Moore Gerety, Harper's magazine, "Downstream," 10 June 2019 The Tennessee Titans can't wear the Columbia blue and oil derrick of the Houston Oilers because the franchise switched from white to a blue helmet with a uniform redesign in April 2018, and the NFL has a one-helmet rule. — Teresa M. Walker, chicagotribune.com, "NFL at 100: The evolution of uniforms, from bees to Color Rush," 7 June 2019 Rumors surfaced that the derrick was there to lift a 60-foot flagpole. — Jonathan Schifman, Popular Mechanics, "A Friendship Turned to Rivalry. A Feud That Changed the New York Skyline.," 27 Mar. 2019 In 1929, a 20-ton derrick raised and riveted the sphere into place in only 90 minutes, an engineering feat for the time. — Keiko Morris, WSJ, "Chrysler Building, a Famed Slice of Manhattan Skyline, Is on the Block," 9 Jan. 2019 Signal Hill was soon covered by a thicket of wooden oil derricks so dense that locals began referring to it as Porcupine Hill. — Scott Garner, latimes.com, "Neighborhood Spotlight: Signal Hill keeps progress in view without blocking out its oil town past," 22 June 2018 Today, County Road 49 is so crowded with oil derricks and tanks that some residents call it the Frack Freeway. — Julie Turkewitz, New York Times, "24 Oil Wells in a School’s Backyard. How Close Is Too Close?," 31 May 2018 There is a reason why the derricks, pipe and drill bits used today bear a strong resemblance to the basic mechanics of Spindletop 117 years ago: the price of oil can only command so much investment in technology and still make a healthy return. — Houston Chronicle, "What does future hold for the offshore sector?," 4 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'derrick.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.