Derby1
/ˈdɑːbi
/A city in the Midlands of England, on the River Derwent; population 244,700 (est. 2009).
Derby2
/ˈdɑːbi/noun (plural Derbies)
1An annual flat race for three-year-old horses, founded in 1780 by the 12th Earl of Derby and run on Epsom Downs in England in late May or early June.
1.1A race similar to the Derby, run elsewhere: the Irish Derby...
- He added there was indications the winners of the English and French Derbies would run the 1.3 million race.
- By this stage, the Epsom and French Derbies have been held and the Irish Derby, which was first run in 1866, provides the perfect opportunity for the winners of both races to face off for the ultimate test.
- He won nine English Derbies, three Arc de Triomphes and 11 jockeys' championships.
1.2 [often in names] (also derby) An important sporting contest: the showjumping Derby at Hickstead...
- Every south coast derby is important but because of the club's position, stage of the season, and what's at stake the magnitude of this fixture has trebled tenfold.
- That's why this semi-final has been dubbed the most important derby this century.
- While a win in this derby will be important in itself, he will be looking at the bigger picture.
1.3 (derby or local derby) British A sports match between two rival teams from the same area.It was always going to be an uphill struggle to motivate the side even in the face of a local derby match....
- It was a big game, a local derby with over 20,000 fans here so there was a lot riding on the match.
- A few years ago, my team lost a local derby, and had a goal disallowed in the last minute.
2 (derby) North American A bowler hat.The majority of the foxhunters wear black coats and top hats or derbies....
- He had black curly hair that was covered by a derby hat.
- A small derby hat adorned his balding pate, longish scraggles of grey-hairs nearly whispering along his ears and neck.
Said to be from American demand for a hat of the type worn at the Epsom Derby
3A boot or shoe having the eyelet tabs stitched on top of the vamp.But how often have you seen men slip up and wear derby shoes with worn-out jeans, or even casual loafers with suits, for example?...
- This season lace-up Derby shoes feature a retro edge.
- These brown leather punched derby shoes are made in Northampton - the home of British shoe making.
Derby3
/ˈdɑːbi/noun [mass noun]
A hard cheese made from skimmed milk, chiefly in Derbyshire.In the seventeenth century, the custom of adding sage (a herb valued at the time for its health-giving properties) to Derby cheese was begun....
- Only when the Little Derby cheese has reached its optimum flavour is it brought out, the cloth removed and the cheese washed in Red Wine.
- The derby cheese is described in several places on the web as having the flavor and consistency of a very mild cheddar, with an added buttery flavor.