A (usually concealed) letter or oral message, especially one passed illegally into, within, or out of a prison.
A rider who is good at climbs but less good at descents.
A measure of weight equivalent to ¹⁄₁₀ deben (about 0.32 ounces or 9.1 grams).
A lightweight toy or other device, traditionally flat and shaped like a triangle with a segment of a circle attached to its base or like a quadrilateral (see sense 9), carried on the wind and tethered and controlled from the ground by one or more lines.
An aeroplane or aircraft.
A bird of the genus Elanus, having thin pointed wings, that preys on rodents and hunts by hovering; also, any bird of related genera in the subfamily Elaninae.
A spinnaker (“supplementary sail to a mainsail”).
The stomach; the belly.
A tethered object which deflects its position in a medium by obtaining lift and drag in reaction with its relative motion in the medium.
A rapacious person.
A blank cheque; a fraudulent cheque, such as one issued even though there are insufficient funds to honour it, or one that has been altered without authorization.
The brill (Scophthalmus rhombus), a type of flatfish.
A polygon resembling the shape of a traditional toy kite (sense 3): a quadrilateral having two pairs of edges of equal length, the edges of each pair touching each other at one end.
A bird of prey of the family Accipitridae.
Any bird of the subfamily Milvinae, with long wings and weak legs, feeding mostly on carrion and spending long periods soaring; specifically, the red kite (Milvus milvus) and the black kite (Milvus migrans).
A planetary configuration wherein one planet of a grand trine is in opposition to an additional fourth planet.
Some species in the subfamily Perninae.
An accommodation bill (“a bill of exchange endorsed by a reputable third party acting as a guarantor, as a favour and without compensation”).
To tamper with a document or record by increasing the quantity of something beyond its proper amount so that the difference may be unlawfully retained; in particular, to alter a medical prescription for this purpose by increasing the number of pills or other items.
To pass a (usually concealed) letter or oral message, especially illegally into, within, or out of a prison.
To write or present (a cheque) on an account with insufficient funds, either to defraud or expecting that funds will become available by the time the cheque clears.
To move rapidly; to rush.
To deflect sideways in the water.
To (cause to) glide in the manner of a kite (“bird”).
To manipulate like a toy kite; also, usually preceded by an inflection of go: to fly a toy kite.
To travel by kite, as when kitesurfing.
To steal.
To keep ahead of (an enemy) in order to attack repeatedly from a distance, without exposing oneself to danger.
To cause (something) to move upwards rapidly like a toy kite; also (chiefly US, figuratively) to cause (something, such as costs) to increase rapidly.
A letter, a written form of communication.
A circle of latitude or of longitude, as represented on a map.
A sentence of dialogue, especially in a play, movie, or the like.
A set of positions in a team which play in a similar position on the field; in a traditional team, consisting of three players and acting as one of six such sets in the team.
A verse (in poetry).
One fortieth of an inch.
The goal line.
An edge of a graph.
A series of notes forming a certain part (such as the bass or melody) of a greater work.
An infinitely extending one-dimensional figure that has no curvature; one that has length but not breadth or thickness.
A maxwell, a unit of magnetic flux.
The equator.
A vascular catheter.
A written or printed row of letters, words, numbers, or other text, especially a row of words extending across a page or column, or a blank in place of such text.
A particular path taken by a vehicle when driving a bend or corner in the road.
A long tape or ribbon marked with units for measuring; a tape measure.
The position in which the fencers hold their swords.
a set composed of a spike, a drip chamber, a clamp, a Y-injection site, a three-way stopcock and a catheter.
A hose or pipe, of any size.
A line segment; a continuous finite segment of such a figure.
A trench or rampart, or the non-physical demarcation of the extent of the territory occupied by specified forces.
A connected series of public conveyances, as a roadbed or railway track; and hence, an established arrangement for forwarding merchandise, etc.
A threadlike crease or wrinkle marking the face, hand, or body; hence, a characteristic mark.
A more-or-less straight sequence of people, objects, etc., either arranged as a queue or column and often waiting to be processed or dealt with, or arranged abreast of one another in a row (and contrasted with a column), as in a military formation.
The regular infantry of an army, as distinguished from militia, guards, volunteer corps, cavalry, artillery, etc.
A lie or exaggeration, especially one told to gain another's approval or prevent losing it.
A tsarist-era Russian unit of measure, approximately equal to one tenth of an English inch, used especially when measuring the calibre of firearms.
A population of cells derived from a single cell and containing the same genetic makeup.
The official, stated position (or set of positions) of an individual or group, particularly a political or religious faction.
Direction, path.
A group of people born in a certain year (liners).
Proper relative position or adjustment (of parts, not as to design or proportion, but with reference to smooth working).
The batter's box.
A series or succession of ancestors or descendants of a given person; a family or race; compare lineage.
The exterior limit of a figure or territory: a boundary, contour, or outline; a demarcation.
That which was measured by a line, such as a field or any piece of land set apart; hence, allotted place of abode.
Course of conduct, thought, occupation, or policy; method of argument; department of industry, trade, or intellectual activity.
A rope, cord, string, or thread, of any thickness.
Any of an ill-defined set of units of length, varying according to the country, discipline, industry, and date of application, commonly with no indication of the intended magnitude
One of the straight horizontal and parallel prolonged strokes on and between which the notes are placed.
The wire connecting one telegraphic station with another, a telephone or internet cable between two points: a telephone or network connection.
One sixteenth of an inch.
One twelfth of an inch.
A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight.
A clothesline.
The horizontal path of a ball towards the batsman (see also length).
Information about or understanding of something. (Mostly restricted to the expressions get a line on, have a line on, and give a line on.)
Lineament; feature; figure (of one's body).
A number of shares taken by a jobber.
A small path-shaped portion or serving of a powdery illegal drug, especially cocaine.
A group of forwards that play together.
A set of products or services sold by a business, or by extension, the business itself.
To reinforce (the back of a book) with glue and glued scrap material such as fabric or paper.
To mark with a line or lines; to cover with lines.
To fill or supply (something), as a purse with money.
To place persons or things along the side of for security or defense; to strengthen by adding; to fortify.
To place (objects) into a line (usually used with "up"); to form into a line; to align.
To align (one or more switches) to direct a train onto a particular track.
To read or repeat line by line.
To form a line along.
To track (wild bees) to their nest by following their line of flight.
To hit a line drive; to hit a line drive which is caught for an out. Compare fly and ground.
To measure.
To cover the inner surface of (something), originally especially with linen.