# harness

Pronunciation: US say "HAR-nis" /ˈhɑɹ.nəs/; UK say "HAH-nis" /ˈhɑː.nəs/

## Verb

1. To capture, control or put to use something, especially a natural force or resource.
   - Simple: To control something powerful and use it to do useful work.
   - _The town plans to harness the wind on the ridge to power its schools._
   - _A good coach knows how to harness a young player's restless energy._
4. To put a harness on something, especially an animal; to tie it up or restrain it.
   - Simple: To put a harness on an animal, or to tie it up.
   - _We harnessed the ponies and led them out to the cart._
   - _Before the climb, the guide showed us how to harness ourselves to the safety line._

## Noun

2. A restraint or support, usually a loop or network of straps or rope, and especially one worn by a working animal such as a horse pulling a carriage or farm equipment.
   - Simple: Straps that hold or support a person or animal, like the ones a horse wears to pull a cart.
   - _The farmer checked every buckle on the horse's harness before hitching it to the plow._
   - _Window washers on the tower are clipped to the roof by safety harnesses._
3. A bundle of wires or cables grouped and routed together according to their function.
   - Simple: A group of wires tied together so they run neatly to where they are needed.
   - _The mechanic traced the fault to a cracked connector on the engine harness._
   - _Workers install the electrical harnesses before the seats and carpets go in._
7. The part of a loom made up of the heddles and the parts that hold and move them, raising and lowering the warp threads in turn for the shuttle to pass.
   - Simple: The part of a loom that lifts and lowers rows of threads so the shuttle can pass between them.
   - _The weaver tied up the harness so that every other warp thread would rise._
   - _A loom with four harnesses can weave many more patterns than a simple two-harness loom._

## Noun

5. The complete outfit of a man or horse, especially for war; armor in general. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: In old times, all the armor and battle clothes of a soldier or a horse.

## Verb

6. To equip someone with armor. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To put armor on someone.

## Other meanings

- (noun) The gear, tackle, or outfit used in carrying out work of any kind.

## Origin

Old French hernois and Anglo-Norman harneis meant equipment used in battle. They are thought to come from Old Norse *hernest, made of herr ("army") and nest ("provisions"). Middle English took the word as harneys or harnes. Compare harry.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/harness (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).