Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Ribbon \Rib"bon\, n. [OE. riban, OF. riban, F. ruban, probably
   of German origin; cf. D. ringband collar, necklace, E. ring
   circle, and band.] [Written also {riband}, {ribband}.]
   1. A fillet or narrow woven fabric, commonly of silk, used
      for trimming some part of a woman's attire, for badges,
      and other decorative purposes.

   2. A narrow strip or shred; as, a steel or magnesium ribbon;
      sails torn to ribbons.

   3. (Shipbuilding) Same as {Rib-band}.

   4. pl. Driving reins. [Cant] --London Athen[ae]um.

   5. (Her.) A bearing similar to the bend, but only one eighth
      as wide.

   6. (Spinning) A silver.

   Note: The blue ribbon, and The red ribbon, are phrases often
         used to designate the British orders of the Garter and
         of the Bath, respectively, the badges of which are
         suspended by ribbons of these colors. See {Blue
         ribbon}, under {Blue}.

   {Ribbon fish}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) Any elongated, compressed, ribbon-shaped marine fish
          of the family {Trachypterid[ae]}, especially the
          species of the genus {Trachypterus}, and the oarfish
          ({Regelecus Banksii}) of the North Atlantic, which is
          sometimes over twenty feet long.
      (b) The hairtail, or bladefish.
      (c) A small compressed marine fish of the genus {Cepola},
          having a long, slender, tapering tail. The European
          species ({C. rubescens}) is light red throughout.
          Called also {band fish}.

   {Ribbon grass} (Bot.), a variety of reed canary grass having
      the leaves stripped with green and white; -- called also
      {Lady's garters}. See {Reed grass}, under {Reed}.

   {Ribbon seal} (Zo["o]l.), a North Pacific seal ({Histriophoca
      fasciata}). The adult male is dark brown, conspicuously
      banded and striped with yellowish white.

   {Ribbon snake} (Zo["o]l.), a common North American snake
      ({Eutainia saurita}). It is conspicuously striped with
      bright yellow and dark brown.

   {Ribbon Society}, a society in Ireland, founded in the early
      part of the 19th century in antagonism to the Orangemen.
      It afterwards became an organization of tennant farmers
      banded together to prevent eviction by landlords. It took
      its name from the green ribbon worn by members as a badge.
      

   {Ribborn worm}. (Zo["o]l.)
      (a) A tapeworm.
      (b) A nemertean.