ribbon
gb/ɹˈɪbən/ us/ɹˈɪbən/
B1
English
~ 7400
szalag, csík, festékszalag, menüszalag, szalaggal díszít, felszalagoz, szalagként húzódik
NOUN
B1
1
szalag
A2
Usage pattern:
a ribbon of [material/color] around [something]
She tied a red ribbon around the birthday present.
Piros szalagot kötött a születésnapi ajándék köré.
The little girl wore a blue ribbon in her hair.
A kislány kék szalagot viselt a hajában.
We decorated the chairs with white satin ribbons for the wedding.
He marked the suitcase handle with a green ribbon so he could spot it quickly.
Craft stores sell ribbons in many colors, widths, and patterns.
Learner examples
She put a pink ribbon in her hair.
Rózsaszín szalagot tett a hajába.
He tied a ribbon around the box.
Szalagot kötött a doboz köré.
The dress has a black ribbon at the waist.
I need some ribbon to wrap this gift.
They used red ribbons to decorate the room.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "ribbon" with "string" or "rope" and say things like *a rope in her hair*. Use "ribbon" when it is flat, soft, and decorative, especially for clothes, gifts, or hair.
Meaning
narrow decorative strip of cloth
Collocations
tie a ribbon
|hair ribbon
|gift ribbon
|satin ribbon
|length of ribbon
|cut the ribbon
Synonyms
bow (Often refers to the tied shape made from ribbon, not the strip of fabric itself.)
Antonyms
rope (A thick, strong cord for pulling or lifting, not a light decorative strip.)
Themes
daily life
|fashion
|celebrations
|daily_life
|clothing
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A long thin piece of cloth that you use to tie or decorate something like hair, clothes, or a gift box.
A long, narrow strip of fabric, often brightly colored, used for tying things or for decoration on clothing, gifts, hair, and similar items.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
a ribbon of [substance/light] across [place]
From the plane, the river looked like a silver ribbon cutting through the forest.
A repülőgépről a folyó ezüstszalagnak látszott, ahogy átszelte az erdőt.
At night, a ribbon of headlights wound along the mountain road.
Éjszaka fényszórók szalagja kanyargott a hegyi úton.
A narrow ribbon of beach separated the cliffs from the sea.
Smoke rose in a thin ribbon from the chimney.
A bright ribbon of color marked the path of the sunrise along the horizon.
Learner examples
From the hill we saw a ribbon of road below.
A dombról láttuk lent az út keskeny szalagját.
The river was a blue ribbon in the valley.
A folyó kék szalagként futott a völgyben.
Smoke went up in a thin ribbon from the fire.
At night there was a ribbon of lights on the bridge.
A ribbon of water ran through the dry land.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse more basic words like "line" or "road" and miss the special visual meaning of "a ribbon of". Use "ribbon" when you want to describe something long, narrow, and visually striking, especially in writing.
Meaning
long narrow line or strip of something
Collocations
a ribbon of road
|a ribbon of highway
|a ribbon of water
|a ribbon of light
|a ribbon of smoke
|a ribbon of color
Synonyms
band (A general word for a long narrow strip; does not carry the same visual, flowing feel as "ribbon".)
Antonyms
expanse (Suggests a wide, broad area, the opposite of a thin ribbon-like strip.)
Themes
nature
|travel
|visuals
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A long thin line or strip of something, for example a road, river, or light when you look at it from far away.
A long, narrow strip or band of something such as road, water, light, or color, especially when seen from a distance.
NOUN
B1
3
szalag
A2
Usage pattern:
wear a [color] ribbon to support [cause]
She proudly wore a pink ribbon to support breast cancer awareness.
Büszkén viselt rózsaszín szalagot a mellrák elleni küzdelem támogatására.
He received a blue ribbon for winning first place in the science fair.
Kék szalagot kapott, mert első helyezést ért el a tudományos versenyen.
The veteran’s jacket was covered with service ribbons from his military career.
Volunteers handed out red ribbons to raise awareness of World AIDS Day.
Each child who finished the race was given a participation ribbon.
Learner examples
He won a blue ribbon in the race.
Kék szalagot nyert a versenyen.
She wears a pink ribbon on her jacket.
Rózsaszín szalagot visel a kabátján.
The soldier has many ribbons on his uniform.
They give a small ribbon to every child who takes part.
People wear red ribbons to support this health campaign.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes call these symbols "stickers" or "badges" even when they are made of cloth. Use "ribbon" when the symbol is clearly a narrow strip or loop of fabric.
Meaning
fabric strip symbolizing prize or cause
Collocations
first-place ribbon
|blue ribbon
|awareness ribbon
|campaign ribbon
|service ribbon
|wear a ribbon
Synonyms
badge (A small object showing rank or support; often hard or metal, not a strip of fabric.)
Antonyms
medal (Often given with a ribbon, but is the solid metal piece rather than the fabric symbol itself.)
Themes
society
|ceremony
|health
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A small piece or loop of cloth that shows you won a prize, have a special honor, or support a cause like a health or social issue.
A small piece or loop of fabric worn or displayed to represent an award, honor, rank, or support for a social or medical cause.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
4
festékszalag
B2
Usage pattern:
replace the ribbon in [device]
The print is too light; we need to change the typewriter ribbon.
A nyomat túl halvány; ki kell cserélnünk az írógép festékszalagját.
Old dot-matrix printers use an ink ribbon instead of toner.
A régi mátrixnyomtatók toner helyett festékszalagot használnak.
He ordered a new printer ribbon because the receipts were coming out blank.
Be careful not to touch the ribbon, or you’ll get ink on your fingers.
The manual explains how to install the replacement ribbon cartridge.
Learner examples
The letters are light; the ribbon is old.
Halványak a betűk; régi a festékszalag.
We must buy a new printer ribbon.
Új festékszalagot kell vennünk a nyomtatóhoz.
She changed the typewriter ribbon at work.
Do you know how to put in this ribbon?
The shop sells ribbons for this old printer.
Meaning
inked strip in printer or typewriter
Collocations
printer ribbon
|typewriter ribbon
|ink ribbon
|replace the ribbon
|ribbon cartridge
Synonyms
ink ribbon (More specific term that makes clear it carries ink; usually used only for this technical sense.)
Antonyms
ink cartridge (A separate container of liquid ink, not a strip, used in many modern printers instead of a ribbon.)
Themes
technology
|office
|work
|communication
Definition
A long thin strip with ink inside a printer or typewriter that the machine uses to put letters on paper.
A long, narrow strip of fabric or plastic coated with ink that is moved past the print head in a printer, typewriter, or similar device to put characters onto paper.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
5
menüszalag
B2
Usage pattern:
on the ribbon, click [command]
In Word, go to the Home tab on the ribbon and click "Paste."
A Wordben a menüszalagon válaszd a Kezdőlap fület, majd kattints a „Beillesztés” gombra.
You can customize the ribbon to add your most-used commands.
Testre szabhatod a menüszalagot, hogy felvehesd rá a leggyakrabban használt parancsaidat.
If you don’t see the ribbon, double-click a tab to expand it.
The new version of the software replaces the old menus with a ribbon interface.
She hid the ribbon to get more vertical space on her screen.
Learner examples
Click the Home tab on the ribbon.
Kattints a Kezdőlap fülre a menüszalagon.
You can change the ribbon and add new buttons.
Megváltoztathatod a menüszalagot, és új gombokat adhatsz hozzá.
If the ribbon is hidden, click to open it.
This program uses a ribbon instead of old menus.
The tools are in groups on the ribbon.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes call the ribbon a "menu" or "top bar". In programs like Microsoft Office, the correct term for the wide band of grouped commands is "ribbon."
Meaning
wide toolbar area in software
Collocations
the ribbon interface
|on the ribbon
|customize the ribbon
|show the ribbon
|ribbon tab
|ribbon group
Synonyms
toolbar (A general word for a row of buttons; a ribbon is a specific, broader style of toolbar with grouped commands.)
Antonyms
menu bar (An older interface style that uses text menus instead of a wide band of grouped icons.)
Themes
computing
|office
|technology
|work
|communication
Definition
In some programs, the wide bar at the top of the screen where buttons and tools are grouped in tabs.
In computer software, a wide horizontal band near the top of the window that organizes commands, icons, and menus into labeled groups and tabs.
VERB
C1
6
felszalagoz
C1
Usage pattern:
to ribbon [something] with [ribbons/color]
She carefully ribboned each gift with matching gold bows.
Gondosan, hozzáillő aranyszínű masnikkal díszített fel minden ajándékot.
The maypole was ribboned with bright colors for the festival.
A májusfát élénk színű szalagokkal díszítették fel az ünnepre.
Her long braids were ribboned with tiny silver threads.
The florist ribboned the bouquet in the bride’s favorite color.
For the parade, the bikes were ribboned and covered in flags.
Learner examples
They ribboned the boxes for the party.
Szalaggal díszítették fel a dobozokat a bulira.
Her hair was ribboned in red and white.
Piros-fehér szalagok díszítették a haját.
The tree was ribboned for the holiday.
He ribboned the flowers with a blue strip.
The chairs were ribboned for the wedding.
Common mistake:
This verb is less common than the noun. Learners often only know "put ribbons on" or "decorate". "Ribbon" as a verb is mostly used in writing or in set phrases like "ribboned with lights."
Meaning
decorate by adding ribbons
Collocations
ribboned with
|ribbon the gifts
|ribboned hair
|ribboned branches
Synonyms
decorate (More general; does not say that you are using ribbons specifically.)
Antonyms
strip (To remove decorations from something, the opposite of adding ribbons.)
Themes
celebrations
|daily life
|daily_life
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something look pretty by putting ribbons on it or around it.
To decorate something by attaching ribbons to it or wrapping ribbons around it.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
7
Usage pattern:
to ribbon across/through/along [place]
A dusty track ribboned across the empty plain.
Poros út húzódott szalagként végig a kihalt síkságon.
The narrow river ribboned through the deep valley.
A keskeny folyó szalagként kanyargott a mély völgyben.
Far below, a line of cars ribboned along the coast road.
A trail of lights ribboned across the dark hillside.
The path ribboned into the distance until it disappeared in the haze.
Learner examples
A small road ribboned across the dark land.
Egy kis út szalagként húzódott át a sötét tájon.
The river ribboned through the green fields.
A folyó szalagként kanyargott a zöld mezők között.
Lights ribboned along the side of the hill.
The path ribboned into the mountains.
A long line of cars ribboned along the highway.
Common mistake:
Learners rarely use this verb and may not recognize it when reading. It is mainly found in descriptive or literary writing, often instead of more common verbs like "run" or "wind."
Meaning
extend in a long narrow line
Collocations
ribbon across
|ribbon through
|ribbon along
|a road ribboning into the distance
Synonyms
wind (Also means to move in a curved line, but does not focus on the visual image of a long thin strip.)
Antonyms
spread out (Suggests becoming wide and broad, the opposite of staying in a thin ribbon-like line.)
Themes
nature
|literature
|travel
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To go across an area in a long thin line, like a ribbon lying on the ground.
To extend, spread, or move in a long, narrow strip across a surface or area, resembling a ribbon.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ribbon
IPA
GB/ɹˈɪbən/
US/ɹˈɪbən/
Syllables & stress
rib - bon (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (rib)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ribbon
- Plural: ribbon, ribbons
Word family
Expressions
awareness ribbon
1/əwˈɛɹnəs ɹˈɪbən/
fixed phrase
colored ribbon symbol for a cause
A small loop of colored ribbon that people wear to show they support a health or social cause.
Examples
- The yellow awareness ribbon is used to support military families.
- Many people wore purple awareness ribbons for the campaign.
- The charity sells awareness ribbons to raise money and inform the public.
blue ribbon
1/blˈu ɹˈɪbən/
fixed phrase
prize or mark for first place
A prize or sign that shows someone or something is the best in a competition, or is of very high quality.
Examples
- Her apple pie won the blue ribbon at the county fair.
- The school’s blue-ribbon band played at the festival.
- This is a blue-ribbon restaurant, but it is very expensive.
blue-ribbon
1/blˈu ɹˈɪbən/
fixed phrase
of the highest quality or status
Used before a noun to say that a group, committee, or event has the best or most important people.
Examples
- The president appointed a blue-ribbon panel to investigate the accident.
- Experts called the report a blue-ribbon study on climate change.
- Community leaders formed a blue-ribbon committee on education reform.
cut to ribbons
1/kˈʌt tə ɹˈɪbənz/
idiom
damage or destroy very badly
To damage something very badly, or to criticize something or someone very strongly so their reputation is badly hurt.
Examples
- The small boat was cut to ribbons by the storm.
- The new policy was cut to ribbons by the opposition in yesterday’s debate.
- Her first novel was cut to ribbons by critics.
ribbon-cutting ceremony
1/ɹˈɪbən kˈʌtɪŋ sˈɛɹɪmˌoʊni/
fixed phrase
official event to open something
A special event where people cut a ribbon to show that a new building, road, or project is officially open.
Examples
- The mayor attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new library.
- There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony when the bridge is finished.
- Local businesses sponsored a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the park.
tear to ribbons
1/tˈɛɹ tə ɹˈɪbənz/
idiom
criticize something very harshly
To speak or write about something in a very angry and detailed way, saying many bad things about it.
Examples
- The reviewer tore the movie to ribbons in his column.
- Her proposal was torn to ribbons during the meeting.
- He was afraid the press would tear his speech to ribbons.
win the blue ribbon
1/wˈɪn ðə blˈu ɹˈɪbən/
fixed phrase
win first place in a contest
To get first place or the best prize in a competition.
Examples
- Her chocolate cake won the blue ribbon at the fair.
- They trained hard, hoping to win the blue ribbon in the dance contest.
- His pumpkin won the blue ribbon for size.
yellow ribbon
1/jˈɛloʊ ɹˈɪbən/
fixed phrase
yellow ribbon showing support or remembrance
A yellow ribbon used as a sign that you support or remember people who are away, in danger, or serving in the military.
Examples
- Families tied yellow ribbons around trees to welcome the soldiers home.
- She wore a yellow ribbon on her coat to show support for the hostages.
- The town was full of yellow ribbons during the troops’ deployment.