1. Plaything consisting of a light frame covered with tissue paper; flown in wind at end of a string
   "The children flew colourful kites on the windy beach"
    
2. [N. Amer] A bank check that has been fraudulently altered to increase its face value
   "The teller spotted the kite and alerted security"
    
3. [N. Amer] A bank check written against insufficient funds, relying on the delay in processing for funds to be deposited
   "The fraudulent kite was discovered before it could clear"
    
4. Any of several small graceful hawks of the family Accipitridae having long pointed wings and feeding on insects and small animals
   "The kite soared effortlessly on the thermal currents"
    
5. A large and usually triangular headsail; carried by a yacht as a headsail when running before the wind
   "The crew hoisted the kite to catch more wind on the downwind leg";
   - spinnaker
    
6. (geometry) a quadrilateral having two pairs of adjacent edges of equal length; the shape of a simple kite
   "a kite is a quadrilateral"

1. [N. Amer] Increase the amount (of a check) fraudulently
   "He kited many checks"
    
2. [N. Amer] Get credit or money by using a bad check
   "The businessman kited millions of dollars"
    
3. (air travel) soar or fly like a kite
   "The pilot kited for a long time over the mountains"
    
4. Fly a kite
   "Kids were kiting in the park"; "They kited the Red Dragon model"

Derived forms: kiting, kites, kited

Type of: bank check [US], check [N. Amer], cheque [Brit, Cdn], fly, glide, hawk, headsail, increase, obtain, plaything, toy

Part of: Accipitridae, family Accipitridae

Encyclopedia: Kite, Oliver