many houses in vermont in the usa have a diagonal window to keep out what
Witch window The name "witch window" appears to come from a folk belief that witches cannot fly their broomsticks through the tilted windows, although it seems unlikely that the tale was taken seriously.[4][5][6][7] The windows are also known as "coffin windows";[2] it is unclear if they really were used for removing a coffin from the second floor (avoiding a narrow staircase), or if the odd placement on the wall was reminiscent of a coffin.[1][8] Either explanation seems far-fetched.[1][8] They are alternatively known as "Vermont windows" because of their distribution,[3] and as "sideways"[2] or "lazy windows"[3] for their orientation.