RIBBON

I. noun Etymology: Middle English riban, from Anglo-French ribane, rubane Date: 14th century 1. a flat or tubular narrow closely woven fabric (as of silk or rayon) used for trimmings or knitting, a narrow fabric used for tying packages, a piece of usually multicolored ~ worn as a military decoration or in place of a medal, a strip of colored satin given for winning a place in a competition, a strip of inked fabric (as in a typewriter), reins for controlling an animal, tatter , shred , ribband , ~like adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1716 1. to adorn with ~s, to divide into ~s, to cover with or as if with ~s, to rip to shreds