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ribbon

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, literally “ring-band”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɹɪbən/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪbən

Noun

ribbon (countable and uncountable, plural ribbons)

  2. A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
    • 1648, Robert Herrick, “Delight in Disorder”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 29:
      A Svveet diſorder in the dreſſe / Kindles in cloathes a vvantonneſſe: / […] / A Cuffe neglectfull, and thereby / Ribbands to flovv confuſedly: / […] / Do more bevvitch me, than vvhen Art / Is too preciſe in every part.
  3. An awareness ribbon.
    • 2018 October 1, Olivia B. Waxman, “Wearing a Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness? Here's How Awareness Ribbons Became a Thing”, in Time‎:
      With Monday marking the beginning of October’s annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month observance, supporters will be donning their pink ribbons as a show of support for ongoing research for a cure.
  4. An inked strip of material against which type is pressed to print letters in a typewriter or printer.
    • 1989, Paul Heaton, Dave Rotheray, “Song for Whoever”, performed by The Beautiful South:
      Late at night, in the typewriter light / Ripped his ribbon to shreds
    • 2018, Mark J. P. Wolf, The Routledge Companion to Media Technology and Obsolescence:
      They were single-shift, frontstroke, typebar typewriters with four-bank QWERTY keyboards, inked by a ribbon.
  5. A narrow strip or shred.
    a steel or magnesium ribbon
    sails torn to ribbons
    1. (cooking) In ice cream and similar confections, an ingredient (often chocolate, butterscotch, caramel, or fudge) added in a long narrow strip.
  6. (shipbuilding) Alternative form of ribband.
  7. (nautical) A painted moulding on the side of a ship.
  8. A watchspring.
  9. A bandsaw.
  10. (slang, dated, in the plural) Reins for a horse.
    • 1887, James Inglis, Our New Zealand Cousins:
      "Here, sir, hold the ribbons." This to me, throwing me the reins. Jack got down from his perch, and after a little search in the bush was rewarded by the capture of the poor dazed pigeon, who was consigned to safe custody in the boot.
  11. (heraldry) A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth as wide.
  12. (spinning) A sliver.
  13. (journalism) A subheadline presented above its parent headline.
  14. (graphical user interface) A toolbar that incorporates tabs and menus.
    • 2007, Chris Grover, ‎Matthew MacDonald, ‎E. A. Vander Veer, Office 2007: The Missing Manual (page 586)
      Office programs are drowning in features—and they're crammed into so many different nooks and crannies that even pros don't know where to look. That's where the new ribbon fits in.

Alternative forms

Derived terms

Descendants

  • → Japanese: リボン (ribon)
  • → Korean: 리본 (ribon)

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

See also

Verb

ribbon (third-person singular simple present ribbons, present participle ribboning, simple past and past participle ribboned)

  1. (transitive) To decorate with ribbon.
    Synonym: beribbon
  2. (transitive) To stripe or streak.

Anagrams

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