squint
Plural
squints
1
the act of looking with the eyes partly closed, often to see more clearly
2
a misalignment or deviation of one or both eyes from their normal position
Synonyms:
3
a narrow, angled opening or passage in a wall, often in architecture, allowing sight or movement between spaces
In architecture, a squint refers to a small opening or narrow slit in a wall that allows a person to see from one area to another, usually for practical purposes like seeing into a nearby room or space. These openings are often placed at an angle and can be found in older buildings, especially in religious structures, where they were used to observe activities in another part of the building without entering that space. Squints were designed to be functional while keeping the structural integrity of the wall.