n.
Pronunciation: ' der-ik, ' de-rik
Function: noun
Etymology: obsolete derrick hangman, gallows, from Derick, name of 17th century English hangman
Date: circa 1752
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
derrick 2