What does "derrick" mean?
A device that is used for lifting and moving large objects.
Derrick
/ˈdɛɹɪk/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A device that is used for lifting and moving large objects.
- Grammar: derrick is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: antenna tower, barbican, belfry, bell tower.
- Useful contrasts: fixed support, static beam.
- Usage evidence: Derrick dropped his drawing in the tub and is now trying to salvage it with a hair dryer.
How to use "derrick"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "derrick" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "derrick" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "derrick" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "derrick" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "derrick" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "antenna tower" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "derrick", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A device that is used for lifting and moving large objects.
"They count their ships full tale— / Their corn and oil and wine, / Derrick and loom and bale, / And rampart’s gun-flecked line; / City by City they hail: / “Hast aught to match with mine?”"
- 2 a simple crane having lifting tackle slung from a boom wordnet
- 3 A framework that is constructed over a mine or oil well for the purpose of boring or lowering pipes.
- 4 a framework erected over an oil well to allow drill tubes to be raised and lowered wordnet
- 5 An executioner responsible for hanging convicts; a hangman. obsolete
Verb
- 1 To hoist with, or as if with, a derrick. transitive
- 2 To remove (a pitcher). informal, transitive
"Stinky, who had batted a bit over .200 with scant power (two home runs in 66 games in 1933), was being derricked by Navin."
Proper Noun
- 1 A male given name from the Germanic languages, variant of Derek.
- 2 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
fixed supportstatic beam
Example
"Derrick dropped his drawing in the tub and is now trying to salvage it with a hair dryer."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "derrick"?
Common synonyms include: antenna tower, barbican, belfry, bell tower, campanile, colossus.
How do you use "derrick" in a sentence?
Derrick dropped his drawing in the tub and is now trying to salvage it with a hair dryer.
How do you pronounce "derrick"?
Pronounced /ˈdɛɹɪk/.
Etymology
Named after British executioner Thomas Derrick, who invented the framework arrangement commonly known by this name to aid in the conduct of executions. First use appears c. 1600 in the publication Ballad Death Earl Essex.