4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Harness  \Har"ness\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Harnessed};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Harnessing}.]  [OE.  harneisen  cf  F.  harnacher  OF 
  harneschier.] 
  1.  To  dress  in  armor;  to  equip  with  armor  for  war,  as  a 
  horseman;  to  array. 
 
  Harnessed  in  rugged  steel.  --Rowe. 
 
  A  gay  dagger,  Harnessed  well  and  sharp  as  point  of 
  spear.  --Chaucer. 
 
  2.  Fig.:  To  equip  or  furnish  for  defense.  --Dr.  H.  More 
 
  3.  To  make  ready  for  draught;  to  equip  with  harness,  as  a 
  horse.  Also  used  figuratively. 
 
  Harnessed  to  some  regular  profession.  --J.  C. 
  Shairp 
 
  {Harnessed  antelope}.  (Zo["o]l.)  See  {Guib}. 
 
  {Harnessed  moth}  (Zo["o]l.),  an  American  bombycid  moth 
  ({Arctia  phalerata}  of  Harris),  having  on  the  fore  wings, 
  stripes  and  bands  of  buff  on  a  black  ground. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Harness  \Har"ness\,  n.  [OE.  harneis,  harnes,  OF  harneis,  F. 
  harnais  harnois  of  Celtic  origin;  cf  Armor.  harnez  old 
  iron,  armor,  W.  haiarn  iron,  Armor.  houarn  Ir  iarann  Gael. 
  iarunn  Gf  {Iron}.] 
  1.  Originally,  the  complete  dress,  especially  in  a  military 
  sense  of  a  man  or  a  horse;  hence  in  general,  armor. 
 
  At  least  we  'll  die  witch  harness  on  our  back 
  --Shak. 
 
  2.  The  equipment  of  a  draught  or  carriage  horse,  for  drawing 
  a  wagon,  coach,  chaise,  etc.;  gear;  tackling. 
 
  3.  The  part  of  a  loom  comprising  the  heddles,  with  their 
  means  of  support  and  motion,  by  which  the  threads  of  the 
  warp  are  alternately  raised  and  depressed  for  the  passage 
  of  the  shuttle. 
 
  {To  die  in  harness},  to  die  with  armor  on  hence 
  colloquially,  to  die  while  actively  engaged  in  work  or 
  duty. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  harness 
  n  1:  an  arrangement  of  straps  for  holding  something  to  the  body 
  (especially  one  supporting  a  person  suspended  from  a 
  parachute) 
  2:  an  arrangement  of  leather  straps  fitted  to  a  draft  animal  so 
  that  it  can  be  attached  to  and  pull  a  cart 
  v  1:  put  a  harness  on  of  animals  such  as  horses  [ant:  {unharness}] 
  2:  exploit  the  power  of  "harness  natural  forces  and  resources" 
  3:  control  and  direct  with  or  as  if  by  reins;  as  of  a  horse 
  [syn:  {rein  in},  {draw  rein},  {rein}] 
  4:  keep  in  check;  "rule  one's  temper"  [syn:  {rule},  {rein}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Harness 
  (1.)  Heb.  'asar,  "to  bind;"  hence  the  act  of  fastening  animals 
  to  a  cart  (1  Sam.  6:7,  10;  Jer.  46:4,  etc.). 
 
  (2.)  An  Old  English  word  for  "armour;"  Heb.  neshek  (2  Chr. 
  9:24). 
 
  (3.)  Heb.  shiryan  a  coat  of  mail  (1  Kings  22:34;  2  Chr. 
  18:33;  rendered  breastplate"  in  Isa.  59:17). 
 
  (4.)  The  children  of  Israel  passed  out  of  Egypt  harnessed" 
  (Ex.  13:18),  i.e.,  in  an  orderly  manner,  and  as  if  to  meet  a 
  foe.  The  word  so  rendered  is  probably  a  derivative  from  Hebrew 
  _hamesh_  (i.e.,  "five"),  and  may  denote  that  they  went  up  in 
  five  divisions,  viz.,  the  van,  centre,  two  wings,  and 
  rear-guard. 
 

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