- yellow ribbon
- a yellow-colored ribbon displayed as a symbol of solidarity with soldiers in combat, political hostages, etc.
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yellow ribbon noun (US)A symbol of welcome for those returning home after having undergone some danger, orig a decoration on US cavalrymen's tunics, given to sweethearts as favours• • •Main Entry: ↑yellow* * *
a thin band of yellow material that people in the US tie around a tree as a way of remembering someone who has gone away, and as a sign of hope that they will returnThesaurus: badges and ribbonshyponym* * *
(in the US) a piece of yellow material that sb ties around a tree as a sign that they are thinking about sb who has gone away, especially a soldier fighting in a war, or sb taken as a ↑hostage or prisoner, and that they hope that the person will soon return safelyCulture:The custom comes from a story about a man coming out of prison who asked his wife to tie a yellow ribbon round a tree if she wanted him back. Yellow ribbons were used during the ↑Vietnam War and were later used during the Iranian ↑hostage crisis, the ↑Gulf War, and the war in Iraq. Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree was a very popular song in 1973. Whoa, tie a yellow ribbon ’round the ole oak tree It’s been three long years, do ya still want me? If I don’t see a ribbon ’round the ole oak tree I’ll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me If I don’t see a yellow ribbon ’round the ole oak tree … Now the whole darn bus is cheerin’ and I can’t believe I see A hundred yellow ribbons ’round the ole oak tree.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.