BLUE RIBBON

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does blue ribbon mean? 

• BLUE RIBBON (noun)
  The noun BLUE RIBBON has 1 sense:

1. an honor or award gained for excellence

  Familiarity information: BLUE RIBBON used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLUE RIBBON (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An honor or award gained for excellence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

blue ribbon; cordon bleu

Hypernyms ("blue ribbon" is a kind of...):

badge (an emblem (a small piece of plastic or cloth or metal) that signifies your status (rank or membership or affiliation etc.))

 Context examples 

I was blue ribbon at that time, and we were putting a little money by, and all was as bright as a new dollar.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Jo bore up very well till the last flutter of blue ribbon vanished, when she retired to her refuge, the garret, and cried till she couldn't cry any more.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

When the chaplain and the sisters had left me alone with my husband—oh, Lucy, it is the first time I have written the words 'my husband'—left me alone with my husband, I took the book from under his pillow, and wrapped it up in white paper, and tied it with a little bit of pale blue ribbon which was round my neck, and sealed it over the knot with sealing-wax, and for my seal I used my wedding ring.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

If I am not mistaken, said Mr. Spenlow, as Miss Murdstone brought a parcel of letters out of her reticule, tied round with the dearest bit of blue ribbon, those are also from your pen, Mr. Copperfield?

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Emma watched them in, and then joined Harriet at the interesting counter,—trying, with all the force of her own mind, to convince her that if she wanted plain muslin it was of no use to look at figured; and that a blue ribbon, be it ever so beautiful, would still never match her yellow pattern.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Then I broke my blue ribbon and began to drink again, but I think I should not have done it if Mary had been the same as ever.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Amy put a blue ribbon on the boy and a pink on the girl, French fashion, so you can always tell. Besides, one has blue eyes and one brown. Kiss them, Uncle Teddy," said wicked Jo.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Such a beautiful little house as it is, with everything so bright and new; with the flowers on the carpets looking as if freshly gathered, and the green leaves on the paper as if they had just come out; with the spotless muslin curtains, and the blushing rose-coloured furniture, and Dora's garden hat with the blue ribbon—do I remember, now, how I loved her in such another hat when I first knew her!—already hanging on its little peg; the guitar-case quite at home on its heels in a corner; and everybody tumbling over Jip's pagoda, which is much too big for the establishment.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)