DCHP-1 Online
derby [< the Derby, a famous British horse race, first run in 1780 under the patronage of the Earl of Derby] 
1 n. a race with dog-sleds, canoes, etc.
See also: dog derby
- 1928 It was the home of the most famous of Canadian dog-team racers, he explained--a French half-breed with several winnings of the great Pas Derby to his credit.
- 1959 . . . the Voyageurs planned to stage a canoe and kayak derby. . . . The derby includes down-river races and slaloms, with "gates" to shoot through.
2 n. a competition of almost any kind.
- 1929 There is as much keenness about the Cariboo Derby [a rodeo] as there is on Epsom Downs on the first Wednesday in June.
- 1957 The derby is an annual sportfisherman's classic. . . .
- 1958 More than 100,000 people are expected to visit the "tented city" during the four-day plowing derby.
- 1962 We welcome photos of outdoor activities, news about derbies, shoots and similar Rod and Gun Club events. . . .
- 1963 The Quebec winter carnival . . . includes events ranging from snowshoe derbies, outdoor dancing, parades, and ice-canoe races to formal halls.
- 1928 It was the home of the most famous of Canadian dog-team racers, he explained--a French half-breed with several winnings of the great Pas Derby to his credit.