ribbon
rib·bon
(rĭb′ən)n.
1. A narrow strip or band of fabric, especially a fine fabric such as satin or velvet, finished at the edges and used for trimming, tying, or finishing.
2.
a. Something, such as a tape measure, that resembles a ribbon.
b. A long thin strip: a ribbon of sand along the shore.
3. ribbons Tattered or ragged strips: a dress torn to ribbons.
4. An inked strip of cloth used for making an impression, as in a typewriter.
5.
a. A band of colored cloth signifying membership in an order or the award of a prize.
b. A strip of colored cloth worn on the left breast of a uniform to indicate the award of a medal or decoration.
6. ribbons Informal Reins for driving horses.
tr.v. rib·boned, rib·bon·ing, rib·bons
1. To decorate or tie with ribbons.
2. To tear into ribbons or shreds.
[Middle English ribban, riban, from Old French ruban, probably of Germanic origin; see bhendh- in Indo-European roots.]
rib′bon·y adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ribbon
(ˈrɪbən)n
1. a narrow strip of fine material, esp silk, used for trimming, tying, etc
2. something resembling a ribbon; a long strip: a ribbon of land.
3. (Mechanical Engineering) a long thin flexible band of metal used as a graduated measure, spring, etc
4. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a long narrow strip of ink-impregnated cloth for making the impression of type characters on paper in a typewriter or similar device
5. (plural) ragged strips or shreds (esp in the phrase torn to ribbons)
6. a small strip of coloured cloth signifying membership of an order or award of military decoration, prize, or other distinction
7. a small, usually looped, strip of coloured cloth worn to signify support for a charity or cause: a red AIDS ribbon.
vb (tr)
8. to adorn with a ribbon or ribbons
9. to mark with narrow ribbon-like marks
10. to reduce to ribbons; tear into strips
[C14 ryban, from Old French riban, apparently of Germanic origin; probably related to ring1, band2]
ˈribbon-ˌlike, ˈribbony adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
rib•bon
(ˈrɪb ən)n.
1. a woven strip of fine material, used for ornament, tying, etc.
2. material in such strips.
3. anything resembling a ribbon.
4. ribbons, torn or ragged strips; shreds: torn to ribbons.
5. a band of inked material used in a typewriter, printer, etc.
6. a strip of material, as satin or rayon, being or representing a military medal or similar decoration.
7. a long, thin, flexible band of metal, as for a spring, a band saw, or a tapeline.
8. Carpentry. a thin horizontal piece let into studding to support the ends of joists.
v.t.9. to adorn with ribbon.
10. to mark with something suggesting ribbon.
11. to separate into ribbonlike strips.
v.i.12. to form in ribbonlike strips.
[1520–30; variant of Middle English riban(d) < Old French, variant of r(e)uban, perhaps < Germanic. compare band2]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Ribbon
a group or length of things in a form suggestive of a length of ribbon.Examples: ribbons of bark, 1872; of beach, 1857; of iron, 1843; of lightning, 1889; of sky, 1893.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ribbon
Past participle: ribboned
Gerund: ribboning
| Imperative |
|---|
| ribbon |
| ribbon |
| Present |
|---|
| I ribbon |
| you ribbon |
| he/she/it ribbons |
| we ribbon |
| you ribbon |
| they ribbon |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I ribboned |
| you ribboned |
| he/she/it ribboned |
| we ribboned |
| you ribboned |
| they ribboned |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am ribboning |
| you are ribboning |
| he/she/it is ribboning |
| we are ribboning |
| you are ribboning |
| they are ribboning |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have ribboned |
| you have ribboned |
| he/she/it has ribboned |
| we have ribboned |
| you have ribboned |
| they have ribboned |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was ribboning |
| you were ribboning |
| he/she/it was ribboning |
| we were ribboning |
| you were ribboning |
| they were ribboning |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had ribboned |
| you had ribboned |
| he/she/it had ribboned |
| we had ribboned |
| you had ribboned |
| they had ribboned |
| Future |
|---|
| I will ribbon |
| you will ribbon |
| he/she/it will ribbon |
| we will ribbon |
| you will ribbon |
| they will ribbon |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have ribboned |
| you will have ribboned |
| he/she/it will have ribboned |
| we will have ribboned |
| you will have ribboned |
| they will have ribboned |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be ribboning |
| you will be ribboning |
| he/she/it will be ribboning |
| we will be ribboning |
| you will be ribboning |
| they will be ribboning |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been ribboning |
| you have been ribboning |
| he/she/it has been ribboning |
| we have been ribboning |
| you have been ribboning |
| they have been ribboning |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been ribboning |
| you will have been ribboning |
| he/she/it will have been ribboning |
| we will have been ribboning |
| you will have been ribboning |
| they will have been ribboning |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been ribboning |
| you had been ribboning |
| he/she/it had been ribboning |
| we had been ribboning |
| you had been ribboning |
| they had been ribboning |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would ribbon |
| you would ribbon |
| he/she/it would ribbon |
| we would ribbon |
| you would ribbon |
| they would ribbon |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have ribboned |
| you would have ribboned |
| he/she/it would have ribboned |
| we would have ribboned |
| you would have ribboned |
| they would have ribboned |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011