kite

[ kahyt ]
See synonyms for kite on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a light frame covered with some thin material, to be flown in the wind at the end of a long string.

  2. any of several small birds of the hawk family Accipitridae that have long, pointed wings, feed on insects, carrion, reptiles, rodents, and birds, and are noted for their graceful, gliding flight.: Compare black kite, swallow-tailed kite, white-tailed kite.

  1. Nautical. flying kite.

  2. Finance.

    • a check drawn against uncollected or insufficient funds, as for redepositing, with the intention of creating a false balance in the account by taking advantage of the time lapse required for collection.

    • a check whose amount has been raised by forgery before cashing.

  3. a person who preys on others; sharper.

verb (used without object),kit·ed, kit·ing.
  1. Informal. to fly or move with a rapid or easy motion like that of a kite.

  2. to obtain money or credit through kites.

verb (used with object),kit·ed, kit·ing.
  1. to employ (a check or the like) as a kite; to cash or pass (a kite, forged check, etc.).

Origin of kite

1
First recorded before 900 for def. 2; 1655–65 for def. 1; Middle English kyte,Old English cȳta “kite, bittern”; akin to German Kauz “owl”

Other words from kite

  • kiter, noun
  • kitelike, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use kite in a sentence

  • Over in the field a flock of crows and kites were wheeling,—some carrion,—but Mary did not go near.

    God Wills It! | William Stearns Davis
  • All light kites were set, and 'Satanita' led the race on a reach to the Skerries buoy, at which mark 'Navahoe' was whipper-in.

    Yachting Vol. 2 | Various.
  • Vultures and kites are common enough; and Haji Laqlaq the stork comes in regularly from his pilgrimage to Mecca in the spring.

    The Cradle of Mankind | W.A. Wigram

British Dictionary definitions for kite (1 of 2)

kite1

/ (kaɪt) /


noun
  1. a light frame covered with a thin material flown in the wind at the end of a length of string

  2. British slang an aeroplane

  1. (plural) nautical any of various light sails set in addition to the working sails of a vessel

  2. any diurnal bird of prey of the genera Milvus, Elanus, etc, typically having a long forked tail and long broad wings and usually preying on small mammals and insects: family Accipitridae (hawks, etc)

  3. archaic a person who preys on others

  4. commerce a negotiable paper drawn without any actual transaction or assets and designed to obtain money on credit, give an impression of affluence, etc

  5. fly a kite See fly 1 (def. 14)

  6. high as a kite See high (def. 30)

verb
  1. to issue (fictitious papers) to obtain credit or money

  2. (tr) US and Canadian to write (a cheque) in anticipation of sufficient funds to cover it

  1. (intr) to soar and glide

Origin of kite

1
Old English cӯta; related to Middle High German küze owl, Old Norse kӯta to quarrel

Derived forms of kite

  • kiter, noun

British Dictionary definitions for kite (2 of 2)

kite2

/ (kəɪt) /


noun
  1. a variant spelling of kyte

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with kite

kite

see go fly a kite; high as a kite.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.