harness

American  

[hahr-nis] / ˈhɑr nɪs /

noun

1. the combination of straps, bands, and other parts forming the working gear of a draft animal.

2. (on a loom) the frame containing heddles through which the warp is drawn and which, in combination with another such frame or other frames, forms the shed and determines the woven pattern.

3. the equipment, as straps, bolts, or gears, by which a large bell is mounted and rung.

4. Electricity. wiring harness.

5. armor for persons or horses.

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verb (used with object)

1. to put a harness on (a horse, donkey, dog, etc.); attach by a harness, as to a vehicle.

2. to bring under conditions for effective use; gain control over for a particular end.

   to harness water power; to harness the energy of the sun.

   Synonyms:

   exploit, utilize, manage, control

3. Archaic. to array in armor or equipments of war.

idioms

1. in double harness. double harness.

2. in harness,

   1. engaged in one's usual routine of work.

      After his illness he longed to get back in harness.

   2. together as cooperating partners or equals.

      Joe and I worked in harness on our last job.

harness British  

/ ˈhɑːnɪs /

noun

1. an arrangement of leather straps buckled or looped together, fitted to a draught animal in order that the animal can be attached to and pull a cart

2. something resembling this, esp for attaching something to the body

   a parachute harness

3. mountaineering an arrangement of webbing straps that enables a climber to attach himself to the rope so that the impact of a fall is minimized

4. the total system of electrical leads for a vehicle or aircraft

5. weaving the part of a loom that raises and lowers the warp threads, creating the shed

6. archaic armour collectively

7. at one's routine work

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verb

1. to put harness on (a horse)

2. (usually foll by to) to attach (a draught animal) by means of harness to (a cart, etc)

3. to control so as to employ the energy or potential power of

   to harness the atom

4. to equip or clothe with armour

harness More Idioms  

1. see die with one's boots on (in harness) in harness.

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Other Word Forms

• harness-like
  adjective
• harnesser
  noun
• harnessless
  adjective
• harnesslike
  adjective
• reharness
  verb (used with object)
• well-harnessed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of harness

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English harneis, herneis, from Old French herneis “baggage, equipment,” from Old Norse hernest (unrecorded) “provisions for an armed force,” equivalent to herr “army” ( cf. harbor, herald) + nest “provisions for a journey”

Explanation

A harness is a set of straps that are put on a horse so it can be hitched to a wagon or a carriage. The harness distributes the effort across larger sections of the horse's body. Other animals and people can also wear harnesses. Your dog might have a harness for walking, with the leash attaching to the harness and not the collar, keeping the dog from choking itself when it pulls. People wear harnesses for safety, when climbing trees or bungee jumping, for example. As a verb, harness means to control or direct as if with a harness for a specific purpose, the way solar power harnesses the power of the sun.

Example Sentences

Harness the diversification power of alternatives and private assets: Alternative investments and private assets can offer investors downside portfolio protection while still capturing upside potential during rising markets.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

But on Monday, the rich smell of leather hung in the air, wafting down the block through the busted windows of Billy Cook Harness & Saddle.

From Seattle Times • May 2, 2024

The show’s creator and writer, Peter Harness, working with the directors Michelle MacLaren, Oliver Hirschbiegel and Joseph Cedar, carries off both with aplomb, and maintains a dry tone and an appealing atmosphere of foreboding.

From New York Times • Feb. 20, 2024

“It’s very stressful,” a visibly shaken Harness said.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2023

Over the Stables, are Rooms full of fine Equipage, consisting of sumptuous Saddles and Housings, Sleds and magnificent Harness.

From The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume I Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts. by P?llnitz, Karl Ludwig von

Related Words

• curb
• exploit
• mobilize
• tackle
• tame
• utilize