blue ribbon

== English == === Etymology === Perhaps a calque of Middle French cordon bleu (“blue ribbon”), worn by knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit, or after Blue Riband, a sailing award. === Pronunciation === === Noun === blue ribbon (plural blue ribbons) The highest honor or prize awarded in some competitions and contests. The emblem of the Order of the Garter. The badge adopted by a teetotal society. (Internet) A badge worn or displayed to advocate freedom from online censorship. ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === blue ribbon (not comparable) (idiomatic) Highly superior in quality, style, substance, prestige, etc. (Australia, informal, politics) Pertaining to the Liberal Party, its supporters and regions. ==== Alternative forms ==== blue-ribbon (adjectival form) ==== See also ==== === Further reading === “blue ribbon”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. “blue ribbon”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.