a woven strip or band of fine material, as silk or rayon, varying in width and finished off at the edges, used for ornament, tying, etc.
2.
material in such strips.
3.
anything resembling or suggesting a ribbon or woven band.
4.
a band of inked material used in a typewriter, adding machine, etc., that supplies ink for printing the figure on the striking typeface onto the paper beneath.
5.
a strip of material, as satin or rayon, being or representing a medal or similar decoration, especially a military one: an overseas ribbon.
6.
ribbons.
a.
torn or ragged strips; shreds: clothes torn to ribbons.
b.
reins for driving.
7.
a long, thin flexible band of metal, as for a spring, a band saw, or a tapeline.
8.
Also, riband, ribband. Also called ledger, ledger board, ribbon strip.Carpentry.a thin horizontal piece let into studding to support the ends of joists.
late 14c., ribane, from O.Fr. riban "a ribbon," var. of ruban (13c.), of unknown origin, possibly from a Gmc. compound whose second element is related to band. Modern spelling is from c.1545. Custom of colored ribbon loops worn on lapels to declare support for some oppressed
or suffering group began in 1991 with AIDS red ribbons.