1 : a narrow piece of cloth (such as silk) that is used to tie things or for decoration [count] ▪ She wore pink ribbons in her hair. ▪ She tied a ribbon around the present. [noncount] ▪ a length/piece of ribbon ▪ The present was tied with ribbon. 2 [count] : a short piece of cloth that is given as a military award
▪ The soldier proudly wore his ribbons and medals. 3 [count] chiefly US : a piece of colored cloth that is given as an award in a competition
▪ Her pie won a ribbon at the county fair. — see also blue ribbon 4 [count] : something that is long and narrow like a strip of cloth
▪ a ribbon of road 5 [count] : a long and narrow piece of cloth with ink that is used for producing printed characters in a typewriter or printer 6 ribbons [plural] : narrow pieces of something that has been cut or torn apart
▪ Her pants were torn/cut to ribbons. [=to pieces]