E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Kite (A),
in legal phraseology, is a junior counsel who is allotted at an assize court to advocate the cause of a prisoner who is without other defence. For this service he receives a guinea as his honorarium. A kite on Stock Exchange means a worthless bill. An honorarium given to a barrister is in reality a mere kite. (See below, KITEFLYING.)
