Why Is Kite Slang For Cheque: Unraveling The Linguistic Mystery

The term “check kiting” originated in the 1920s but has its roots in a 19th-century practice involving the issuance of IOUs and bonds without any collateral. This practice was commonly referred to as “flying a kite” because it resembled the act of launching a kite into the air. In this context, “kite” symbolizes the idea of something being aloft without any substantial backing, just like a kite that stays in the sky solely due to wind currents and lacks a solid foundation. So, when people talk about “kiting a check” or “check kiting,” they are essentially referring to the manipulation of checks or funds in a way that gives the illusion of legitimate financial activity while lacking actual funds to support it.

The slang term “kite” is used in prison culture to refer to an informal message or a complaint. This term has an intriguing origin dating back to the mid-1800s. During this period, inmates faced strict restrictions on verbal communication within the prison walls. In response to these limitations, prisoners developed an ingenious way to convey messages to one another: they used Kite-branded cigarette rolling papers as a medium for their secret correspondence. These thin, inconspicuous papers allowed them to discreetly pass information, making “kite” a fitting term for this practice. So, when someone mentions a “kite” in a prison context, it typically refers to an underground means of communication or a message exchanged between inmates, often using these cigarette papers.

Could you please provide more context or specify the topic you’re referring to when you mention “a kite in money terms”? This will help me provide a more informative and accurate rewrite of the passage with the missing information.