ribald 
5164 
launching. See cut under /</(/</- 
iniyn. (c) A scantling of wood, about 15 feet 
long and 4 inches square, used in rack-lashing 
gun-platform* to keep the platform secure: 
also used for mortar-platforms. Two rib-bands 
accompany every platform Rib-band line in 
Me they seized and me they tortured, me they lash'd and 
humiliated, 
Me the sport of ribald Veterans, mine of ruffian violators ! 
Tennyson, Boadicea. 
Instead of having the solemn countenance of the aver- 
age English driver, his face was almost ribald in its con- 
viviality of expression. 
T. C. Crawford, English Life, p. 37. 
= Syn. Gross, coarse, filthy, indecent, 
ribaldish (rib'al-dish), a. [< ribald + -wAi.J 
Disposed to ribaldry. 
They have a ribaldish tongue. 
/;/'. II 11". Estate of a Christian. 
ribaldroust (rib'al-drus), a. [Also ribaudroiis: 
< ribaldr(y) + -o'iis.] Ribald; licentious; ob- nb-baste (rib bast), v. t. To baste the ribs of; 
scene; indecent. beat severely; rib-roast. Halliwell. [Prov. 
marked off upon the mold. Rib-band nail, in ship-build- 
ing, a nail having a large round head with a ring to prevent 
the head from splitting the timber or being drawn through: 
used chiefly for fastening rib-bands. Also written ribbing- 
nail. 
Arf6adrotwandfllthietongue,osince8tum,obscaenum, _ T/ . 
impurum, et impudicum. Baret, Alvearie. (Sores) nODCO (ribd), a. [< nftl + -/2.] 1. Furnished 
ribaldry (rib'al-dri), . [< ME. ribaldric, rib- ^ ltjl nbs; strengthened or supported by ribs, 
audrie'ribawSrye, rybandrie, rybaudry, etc., < m any sense of the word ' 
OF. ribauderie, F. ribauderie (= Sp. ribalderia 1 ,,-"?, 6e ?. vaulti "8 was the greatest improvement which 
P<r rihnltinrin It rilinl,!,,*;,, A,fT ..-'I,,,; tne Medneval aichitects made on the Roman vaults, giv- 
7 . *f . "" M " " a . - ribalderia, ML. t tbal- ing not on i y additional strength of construction, but an 
dna), <. ribald, nbaud, a ribald: see ribald.] apparent vigour and expression to the vault which is one 
The qualities or acts of a ribald ; licentious or tne greatest beauties of the style, 
foul language ; ribald conversation ; obscenity ; 
indecency. 
On fastingdais by-fore none ich fedde me with ale, 
Out of reson, a-mong rybaudes here rybaudrye to huyre. 
Her-of, good god, graunte me for3euenesse. 
Piers Plowman (C), vii. 435. 
Abstayn euer from wordes of rybaudry. 
Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 106. 
Satire has long since done his best ; and curst 
And loathsome Ribaldry has done its worst. 
Cowper, Table-Talk, 1. 729. 
He softens down the language for which the river was 
noted, and ignores the torrent of licentious ribaldry with 
which every boat greeted each other, and which was 
known as "River Wit." 
J. Athlon, Social Life in Reign of Queen Anne, II. 144. 
ribaldyt, w. [ME. ribaudie,< OF. ribaudie, equiv. 
to ribaudrie, ribaldry: see ribaldry.] Same as 
ribaldry. 
ribant, An obsolete form of ribbon. 
riband, . and v. An obsolete or archaic form 
of ribbon. 
riband-fish, riband-gurnard, etc. See ribbon- 
fish, etc. 
ribaningt, n. See ribboning. 
..?*'._,., 9 ^ 
J. Fergusson, Hist. Arch., I. 525. 
2. Formed into ribs or ridges; having alter- 
nate lines of projection and depression ; ridged : 
as, ribbed cloth; ribbed hose. 
And thoti art long, and lank, and brown, 
As is the ribbed sea-sand. 
Wardsivarth, Lines contributed to Coleridge's Ancient 
[Mariner. 
This ribbed mountain structure . . . always wears a 
mantle of beauty, changeable purple and violet. 
C. D. Warner, Their Pilgrimage, p. 205. 
3. In anat. and zool., having a rib or ribs, in 
any sense; costal; costate; costiferous Rib- 
bed arch. See oreAl. Ribbed armor, armor consist- 
ing of ridges alternating with sunken bands, which are 
usually set with studs. It is described in the tourney- 
book of Kens' of Anjou as composed of cuir-bouilli upon 
which small bars, apparently of metal, are laid, and either 
sewed to the leather, or covered by an additional thick- 
ness of leather, which is glued to the background. Rib- 
bed-fabric machine, a knitting-machine for making the 
rib-stitch. It has special adjustments in both power- and 
hines, and can be set to make different form 
ribaud 2 (re-bo'), . [OFT, a soldier, porter, 
etc., a particular use of ribaud, a base fellow: 
see ribald.] In French hist., one of a body- 
hand-machines, aim can De set to make different forms or 
combinations of stitches, as the polka-rib, one-and-one rib, 
etc. E. H. Kniijht. Ribbed form, plate, velveteen, 
etc. See the nouns. 
MS&SKSElt '&'{"* f r T I !WSI&\ B SSS5 5 riK^: 
F r^7/ S ta .^ ln ' beat , ba f ck ' reverb ra * e n ' berwork sustaining a vaulted ceiling ridges 
= F. rebattre, beat down, rebate : see rebate^.] O u cloth, veins in the leaves of plants, etc -2 
an uLlSt?in ? mbel ' 1 . shme "' consisting Jn a ,,ri., a kind of imperfect plowing, former^- 
.Uv * ' ' tw ". ad J ac f. nt . t f es . g^- common.by which stubbles were rapidly turned 
'&S*? l *gg* m ra l* ldlt y unhl ll becomes a over, every alternate strip only being moved. 
A Middle English form of ribald. being laid over quite flat, and covering an equal space of 
the level surface. A similar operation is still in use in 
some places, after land has been pulverized by clean plow- 
=1 rinnin i * i, '8 and is ready for receiving the seed, and the mode of 
see yoaffl.j in /TOM* hist., one of a body- sowing upon land thus prepared is also called ribbing. 
guard created by Philip Augustus (1180-1223) ribbing-nail (rib'ing-nal), . Same as rib-band 
ot J) ranee. King of the ribauds, the chief of the old nail (which see, under rib-band) 
French royal guard known as the ribauds. In the field, Tibbie-rabble (rib'l rab*l) PA vnriort rcdii 
his station was at the door of the sovereign's quarters, and v * t i if .9 i i i '\ LA varied redu- 
he permitted to enter only those who had the right/ He P llcatlon f rabble?.] 1. A rabble ; a mob. 
had jurisdiction of crimes and misdemeanors committed A ribble-rabble of gossips. 
within the king's abode, as well as of gaming and debauch- John Taylor, Works (1630) (Sara ) 
ery, executed hisown sentences, and enjoyed various privi- o T ,, 
leges and perquisites. The title disappeared after the flf- 2 - *"\e and low talk; lewd or indecent lan- 
teenth century, and the office became merged in that of guage : sometimes used adiectivelv 
the executioner. 
WflSte^^a [Aisonfc,,^,, Mssssg^^ttttsz 
(< bp. ribadoquin); < OF. ribaudequin, ribaude- with thy ribble-rabble discourse. 
quien, ribausdesquin (OFlem. rabaudeken) (see History of Frannon (1655). (Naret.) 
def.); origin uncertain.] 1. (o) Originally, a Such wicked stuff, such poys'nous babble 
cart or barrow plated with iron or other mate- Such uncouth, wretched ribble rabble. 
rial to protect it from fire, and armed with long Hudibras Redivimw (1706). (Kares.) 
iron-shod pikes; a movable cheval-de-frise. ribble-rowt (rib'l-ro), . [A burlesque name, 
Hewitt, (b) A similar cart armed with a large after analogy of rigmarole. Cf. ribble-rabble.] 
crossbow, or with a small cannon in the fif- A list of rabble. 
teenth century. Hence (c) The cannon itself 
so used. 
ribaudourt, n. [ME., < OF. ribaudour, < riband, 
ribald: see ribald.] A ribald. ribbon (rib'on), n. and a. [Formerly also ribon, 
I schal fyuden hem heore fode that feithfuliche lyuen; riban, also riband, ribband (appar. simulating 
Save Jacke the iogelour, and lonete of the stuyues, band, and still used archaically) ; < ME. riban, 
And Robert the ****, ^ j- riband, < OF. ribanrifen, rliant F. r,,ban, 
rihaviHi-rvnoi c n ami. rcbaiit, riban, (ML. rubanus), a ribbon; 
BcJtfSF* 35 ps&5siS3&3s 
g.'Si;*r. P ,. t ^,o, tl ,, ,*:ft^fr.'.7S'-&^,' 
ribband, . An obsolete or archaic form of 
ribbon. 
This witch of rOMe-rmc rehearse*, 
Of scurvy names in scurvy verses. 
Cotton, Works (1734), p. 119. (Hallimll.) 
selvages. Ribbons in this sense seem 
have been introduced in the sixteenth century. Ordi- 
square body of a vessel, used to secure the to nave been introduced in the sixteenth century. Ordi- 
'8 in position until the outside planking narily ribbons are made of widths varying from one fourth 
is put on. (b) A square timber of the slip fas- of a " incll > 01 ' perhaps even less, to seven or eight inches, 
tened lengthwise in the bilgewavs to prevent hllt occas ! OIla l 1 y 8a8l i- ril ' D0 n8 or the like are made of much 
toned 
the timbei of the 
~ -.~...^ 
K'areln'aoe' 
ribbon 
with velvet and satin stripes, satin-faced on each side, the 
two sides being of different colors, each perfect, and in 
many other styles. 
Get your apparel together, good strings to your beards, 
new ribbons to your pumps. ,sv/,i/,., M. N. L>., iv. 2. 37. 
Sweet-faced Corinna, deign the riband tie 
Of thy cork-shoe, or else thy slave will die. 
Marston, Scourge of Villanie, viii. 7. 
She 's torn the ribbons frae her head, 
They were baith thick and narrow. 
The Braes o' Yarrow (Child's Ballads, III. 71). 
It was pretty to see the young, pretty ladies dressed like 
men. in velvet coats, caps with ribbands, and with laced 
bands, just like men. P>'j>!/, Diary, July 27, 1665. 
Just for a handful of silver he left us 
Just for a riband to stick in his coat. 
Browning, Lost Leader. 
3. Specifically, the honorary distinction of an 
order of knighthood, usually in two forms : 
first, the broad ribbon, denoting the highest 
class of such an order (for which see cordon, 7) ; 
second, the small knot of ribbon worn in the 
buttonhole by members of an order when not 
wearing the cross or other badge. Blue ribbon and 
red ribbon are often used to denote the orders of the Gar- 
ter and Bath respectively. A blue ribbon was also a badge 
of the Order of the Holy Ghost in France. Compare cordon 
bleu, under cordon. 
4. That which resembles a ribbon in shape j a 
long and narrow strip of anything. 
The houses stood well back, leaving a ribbon of waste 
land on either side of the road. 
JJ. L. Stevenson, Inland Voyage, p. 68. 
These tspiral nebulas] are usually elongated strings or 
ribbons of nebulous matter twisted about a central nucleus 
and seen by us in the form of a spiral curve. 
The Century, XXXIX. 458. 
5. pi. Reins for driving. [Colloq.] 
He [EgallteJ drove his own phaeton when it was decid- 
edly low for a man of fashion to handle the ribands. 
Phillips, Essays from the Times, I. 76. 
If he had ever held the coachman's ribbons in his hands, 
as I have in my younger days a he would know that 
stopping is not always easy. 
George Eliot, Felix Holt, xvii. 
6. A strip ; a shred : as, the sails were torn to 
ribbons. 
They're very naked ; their things is all to ribbins. 
Mayhetr, London Labour and London Poor, II. 84. 
7. In spinning, a continuous strand of cotton 
or other fiber in a loose, untwisted condition ; 
a sliver. 8. In metal-working, a long, thin 
strip of metal, such as (a) a watch-spring; (6) 
a thin steel band for a belt, or an endless saw ; 
(c) a thin band of magnesium for burning; (<?) 
a thin steel strip for measuring, resembling a 
tape-line. 9. One of the stripes painted on 
arrow-shafts, generally around the shaftment. 
Also called clan-mark, owner-mark, game-tally, 
etc. Amer. Nat., July, 1886, p. 675. 10. A nar- 
row web of silk for hand-stamps, saturated 
with free color, which is readily transferred by 
pressure to paper. 11. In stained-glass work 
and the like, a strip or thin bar of lead grooved 
to hold the edges of the glass. See lead 2 , 7. 
12. In ]ier., a bearing considered usually as one 
of the subordinaries. It is a di- 
minutive of the bend, and one 
eighth of its width. 13. In 
carp., a long thin strip of wood, 
or a series of such strips, uniting 
several parts. Compare rib-band. 
14. Naut., a painted molding 
on the side of a ship Autophyte 
ribbon, a Swiss ribbon printed in a lace pattern by means 
of zinc plates produced by a photo-engraving process from 
a real lace original. E. H. Knight. Blue ribbon, (a) 
A broad, dark-blue ribbon, the border embroidered with 
gold, worn by members of the Order of the Garter diago- 
nally across the breast. 
They get invited ... to assemblies . . . where they 
see stars and blue ribbons. Disraeli, Sybil, iv. 3. 
(6) Figuratively, anything which marks the attainment of 
an object of ambition ; also, the object itself. 
In Germany the art of emending is no longer the chief 
art of the scholar. A brilliant and certain conjecture is 
no longer the blue ribbon of his career. 
Fortnightly Rev., N. 8., XLIII. 47. 
(c) A member of the Order of the Garter. 
Why should dancing round a May-pole be more obso- 
lete than holding a Chapter of the Garter? asked Lord 
Henry. The Duke, who was a blue-ribbon, felt this a home 
thrust. Disraeli, Coninpsby, iii. 3. 
(d) The badge of a society pledged to total abstinence from 
the use of intoxicating drinks : it consists of a bit of blue 
ribbon worn in a buttonhole. China ribbon, a ribbon, 
about an eighth of an inch wide, formerly used in the toi- 
let, but now for markers inserted in bound books and the 
like, and also in a kind of embroidery whicli takes its name 
from the employment of this material. China-ribbon 
embroidery, a kind of embroidery much in favor in the 
early years of the nineteenth century, and recently re- 
vived. The needle is threaded with a ribbon, which is 
drawn through the material us well as applied upon it 
