ribbon

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”).

noun

1. A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
2. An awareness ribbon.
   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. Oct 1 2018, Olivia B. Waxman, “Wearing a Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness? Here's How Awareness Ribbons Became a Thing”, in Time
3. An inked strip of material against which type is pressed to print letters in a typewriter or printer.
   They were single-shift, frontstroke, typebar typewriters with four-bank QWERTY keyboards, inked by a ribbon. 2018, Mark J. P. Wolf, The Routledge Companion to Media Technology and Obsolescence
4. 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.
5. (shipbuilding) Alternative form of ribband
6. (nautical) A painted moulding on the side of a ship.
7. A watchspring.
8. A bandsaw.
9. (slang, dated, in the plural) Reins for a horse.
   "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. 1887, James Inglis, Our New Zealand Cousins
10. (heraldry) A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth as wide.
11. (spinning) A sliver.
12. (journalism) A subheadline presented above its parent headline.
13. (computing, graphical user interface) A toolbar that incorporates tabs and menus.

verb

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