# ribbon
## English
### 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: /ˈɹɪbən/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɪbən

### Noun

ribbon (countable and uncountable, plural ribbons)
* 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.
* 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.
* An inked strip of material against which type is pressed to print letters in a typewriter or printer.
** 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.
* A narrow strip or shred.
    a steel or magnesium ribbon
    sails torn to ribbons
** (cooking) In ice cream and similar confections, an ingredient (often chocolate, butterscotch, caramel, or fudge) added in a long narrow strip.
* (shipbuilding) Alternative form of ribband
* (nautical) A painted moulding on the side of a ship.
* A watchspring.
* A bandsaw.
* (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.
* (heraldry) A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth as wide.
* (spinning) A sliver.
* (journalism) A subheadline presented above its parent headline.
* (computing, graphical user interface) A toolbar that incorporates tabs and menus.

#### Alternative forms

* ribband (obsolete)

#### Derived terms

* AIDS ribbon
* awareness ribbon
* beribbon
* blue ribbon
* blue ribbon jury
* cut to ribbons
* frosted ribbon loaf
* frosted ribbon sandwich
* lip-ribbon
* magnesium ribbon
* microribbon
* nanoribbon
* Portland ribbon wave
* red ribbon
* ribbon brake
* ribbon cable
* ribbon candy
* ribbon cane
* ribbon cutting
* ribbon farm
* ribbonfish
* ribbongrass
* ribbon gum
* Ribbonism
* ribbonite
* ribbonize
* ribbonlength
* ribbonless
* ribbonlike
* ribbon loaf
* ribbonmaker
* Ribbonman
* ribbon map
* ribbon microphone
* ribbon representation
* ribbonry
* ribbon seal
* ribbon snake
* ribbon speaker
* ribbon spread
* ribbon stamp
* ribbon-tailed astrapia
* ribbonweed
* ribbon wire
* ribbonwood
* ribbon worm
* ribbony
* streamribbon
* tear to ribbons
* yellow ribbon

#### 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.

#### See also

* riband

### Verb

ribbon (third-person singular simple present ribbons, present participle ribboning, simple past and past participle ribboned)
* (transitive) To decorate with ribbon.
    Synonym: beribbon
* (transitive) To stripe or streak.

### Anagrams

* Robbin, robbin