KITE


Meaning of KITE in English

n. & v.

n. 1 a toy consisting of a light framework with thin material stretched over it, flown in the wind at the end of a long string. 2 any of various soaring birds of prey esp. of the genus Milvus with long wings and usu. a forked tail. 3 Brit. sl. an aeroplane. 4 sl. a fraudulent cheque, bill, or receipt. 5 Geom. a quadrilateral figure symmetrical about one diagonal. 6 sl. a letter or note, esp. one that is illicit or surreptitious. 7 (in pl.) the highest sail of a ship, set only in a light wind. 8 archaic a dishonest person, a sharper.

v. 1 intr. soar like a kite. 2 tr. (also absol.) originate or pass (fraudulent cheques, bills, or receipts). 3 tr. (also absol.) raise (money by dishonest means) (kite a loan). kite balloon a sausage-shaped captive balloon for military observations. kite-flying fraudulent practice.

[ OE cyta, of unkn. orig. ]

Concise Oxford English dictionary.      Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка.