Etymology From Middle English wyndowe, wyndown, from Old Norse vindauga (“window”, literally “wind-eye; wind-hole”), equivalent to wind + eye. Cognate with Scots windae and windock, Faroese vindeyga, Norwegian Bokmål vindu, Norwegian Nynorsk vindauge, Danish vindue, archaic Swedish vindöga, Elfdalian windog. Displaced native Old English ēagþȳrel (literally “eye hole”) (the rare direct descendant is eyethurl (“window, pupil, etc.”)). The “windows” among early Germanic peoples were just unglazed holes (eyes) in the wall or roof that permitted wind to pass through .
An opening, usually covered by one or more panes of clear glass, to allow light and air from outside to enter a building or vehicle.
She opened the window to let some air in.
But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶[…]The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window at the old mare feeding in the meadow below by the brook, and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge,[…].1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
2 more examples
A window is an opening in a wall to admit light and air.1952, L. F. Salzman, Building in England, page 173:
Nanny Broome was looking up at the outer wall. Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime.1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 14, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
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An opening, usually covered by glass, in a shop which allows people to view the shop and its products from outside; a shop window.
There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.[…]Passengers wander restlessly about or hurry, with futile energy, from place to place. Pushing men hustle each other at the windows of the purser's office, under pretence of expecting letters or despatching telegrams.1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
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Architecture The shutter, casement, sash with its fittings, or other framework, which closes a window opening.
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Figuratively A period of time when something is available or possible; a limited opportunity.
launch window
window of opportunity
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You have a two-hour window of clear weather to finish working on the lawn.
But rescuers have a dwindling window of opportunity, with forecasters predicting the return of heavy monsoon rains in the coming days, effectively sealing off the cave until October.2018 July 8, Euan McKirdy, Hilary Whiteman, “Thai cave rescue: Divers enter cave to free boys”, in edition.cnn.com, CNN, retrieved 08 Jul 2018:
Now she'll be thinking about fleeing. (The verdict delay) provides a window for potential flight....if she has not fled already.2017 August 25, Euan McKirdy et al., “Arrest warrant to be issued for former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra”, in edition.cnn.com, CNN, retrieved 25 Aug 2017:
An extensive period of trial running will then take place in the first quarter of 2020. The full opening of the Elizabeth Line is still planned to be within a six-month window between October 2020 and March 2021.2019 November 6, “Network News”, in Rail, page 26:
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Figuratively Something that allows one to see through or into something.
His journal provides a rare window into his otherwise obscure life.
Then we read Spear's confrontational commentary on the "Richard Pryor Incident" from the Black perspective...and suddenly we began to feel that GCN's window on the Gay World was something we couldn't live without since no other Gay Media voice seemed so speaking.1977 December 17, Circle of Loving Companions, “Critical Friends”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 24, page 4:
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A restricted range.
In this case, a band-pass filter using a range or window of frequencies is appropriate to isolate the frequency or the group of frequencies that characterize a specific cycle.2015, Patrick R. Nicolas, Scala for Machine Learning, page 109:
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Computing, Engineering, Graphical user interface, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A rectangular area on a computer terminal or screen containing some kind of user interface, displaying output and allowing input, often for a single task in a multitasking system.
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A figure formed of lines crossing each other.
till he has windows on his bread and butter1709, William King, Art of Cookery:
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Medicine, Sciences The time between first infection and detectability.
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences, Signal processing A function multiplied with a signal to reduce spectral leakage when performing a Fourier transform.
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Geography, Geology, Natural sciences A fenster: a geologic or tectonic window.
[…]the Hohe Tauern window. In the transverse depression between the windows, the Silvretta Nappe disappears almost entirely underneath the Oetztal Nappe. The southern margin of the Northern Limestone zone is formed by the "Greywacke zone" of[…]1927, Léon William Collet, The Structure of the Alps, page 232:
Etymology From Middle English wyndowe, wyndown, from Old Norse vindauga (“window”, literally “wind-eye; wind-hole”), equivalent to wind + eye. Cognate with Scots windae and windock, Faroese vindeyga, Norwegian Bokmål vindu, Norwegian Nynorsk vindauge, Danish vindue, archaic Swedish vindöga, Elfdalian windog. Displaced native Old English ēagþȳrel (literally “eye hole”) (the rare direct descendant is eyethurl (“window, pupil, etc.”)). The “windows” among early Germanic peoples were just unglazed holes (eyes) in the wall or roof that permitted wind to pass through .
1
To furnish with windows.
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To place at or in a window.
Wouldst thou be windowed in great Rome and see / Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending down / His corrigible neck?c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene xiii]: