資料來源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Kite \Kite\, n. [OE. kyte, AS. c?ta; cf. W. cud, cut.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) Any raptorial bird of the subfamily
{Milvin[ae]}, of which many species are known. They have
long wings, adapted for soaring, and usually a forked
tail.
Note: The European species are {Milvus ictinus} and {M.
govinda}; the sacred or Brahmany kite of India is
{Haliastur Indus}; the American fork-tailed kite is the
{Nauclerus furcatus}.
2. Fig. : One who is rapacious.
Detested kite, thou liest. --Shak.
3. A light frame of wood or other material covered with paper
or cloth, for flying in the air at the end of a string.
4. (Naut.) A lofty sail, carried only when the wind is light.
5. (Geom.) A quadrilateral, one of whose diagonals is an axis
of symmetry. --Henrici.
6. Fictitious commercial paper used for raising money or to
sustain credit, as a check which represents no deposit in
bank, or a bill of exchange not sanctioned by sale of
goods; an accommodation check or bill. [Cant]
7. (Zo["o]l.) The brill. [Prov. Eng. ]
{Flying kites}. (Naut.) See under {Flying}.
{Kite falcon} (Zo["o]l.), an African falcon of the genus
{Avicida}, having some resemblance to a kite.
{Flying army} (Mil.) a body of cavalry and infantry, kept in
motion, to cover its own garrisons and to keep the enemy
in continual alarm. --Farrow.
{Flying artillery} (Mil.), artillery trained to rapid
evolutions, -- the men being either mounted or trained to
spring upon the guns and caissons when they change
position.
{Flying bridge}, {Flying camp}. See under {Bridge}, and
{Camp}.
{Flying buttress} (Arch.), a contrivance for taking up the
thrust of a roof or vault which can not be supported by
ordinary buttresses. It consists of a straight bar of
masonry, usually sloping, carried on an arch, and a solid
pier or buttress sufficient to receive the thrust. The
word is generally applied only to the straight bar with
supporting arch.
{Flying colors}, flags unfurled and waving in the air; hence:
{To come off with flying colors}, to be victorious; to
succeed thoroughly in an undertaking.
{Flying doe} (Zo["o]l.), a young female kangaroo.
{Flying dragon}.
(a) (Zo["o]l.) See {Dragon}, 6.
(b) A meteor. See under {Dragon}.
{Flying Dutchman}.
(a) A fabled Dutch mariner condemned for his crimes to sail
the seas till the day of judgment.
(b) A spectral ship.
{Flying fish}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Flying fish}, in the
Vocabulary.
{Flying fox} (Zo["o]l.), the colugo.
{Flying frog} (Zo["o]l.), an East Indian tree frog of the
genus {Rhacophorus}, having very large and broadly webbed
feet, which serve as parachutes, and enable it to make
very long leaps.
{Flying gurnard} (Zo["o]l.), a species of gurnard of the
genus {Cephalacanthus} or {Dactylopterus}, with very large
pectoral fins, said to be able to fly like the flying
fish, but not for so great a distance.
Note: Three species are known; that of the Atlantic is
{Cephalacanthus volitans}.
{Flying jib} (Naut.), a sail extended outside of the standing
jib, on the flying-jib boom.
{Flying-jib boom} (Naut.), an extension of the jib boom.
{Flying kites} (Naut.), light sails carried only in fine
weather.
{Flying lemur}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Colugo}.
{Flying level} (Civil Engin.), a reconnoissance level over
the course of a projected road, canal, etc.
{Flying lizard}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Dragon}, n. 6.
{Flying machine}, an apparatus for navigating the air; a form
of balloon. -- {Flying mouse} (Zo["o]l.), the opossum
mouse ({Acrobates pygm[ae]us}), of Australia.
Note: It has lateral folds of skin, like the flying
squirrels. -- {Flying party} (Mil.), a body of soldiers
detailed to hover about an enemy. -- {Flying phalanger}
(Zo["o]l.), one of several species of small marsuupials of
the genera {Petaurus} and {Belideus}, of Australia and New
Guinea, having lateral folds like those of the flying
squirrels. The sugar squirrel ({B. sciureus}), and the
ariel ({B. ariel}), are the best known; -- called also
{squirrel petaurus} and {flying squirrel}. See {Sugar
squirrel}. -- {Flying pinion}, the fly of a clock. --
{Flying sap} (Mil.), the rapid construction of trenches (when
the enemy's fire of case shot precludes the method of
simple trenching), by means of gabions placed in
juxtaposition and filled with earth. -- {Flying shot}, a
shot fired at a moving object, as a bird on the wing. --
{Flying spider}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Ballooning spider}. --
{Flying squid} (Zo["o]l.), an oceanic squid ({Ommastrephes,
or Sthenoteuthis, Bartramii}), abundant in the Gulf
Stream, which is able to leap out of the water with such
force that it often falls on the deck of a vessel. --
{Flying squirrel} (Zo["o]l.) See {Flying squirrel}, in the
Vocabulary. -- {Flying start}, a start in a sailing race
in which the signal is given while the vessels are under
way. -- {Flying torch} (Mil.), a torch attached to a long
staff and used for signaling at night.