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Webster 1913 Edition

Harness

Har′ness

(-nĕs)
,
Noun.
[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
. Cf.
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 with
harness
on our back.
Shakespeare
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.

Har′ness

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Harnessed
(-nĕst)
;
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
.
(Zool.)
See
Guib
.
–
Harnessed moth
(Zool.)
,
an American bombycid moth (
Arctia phalerata
of Harris), having, on the fore wings, stripes and bands of buff on a black ground.

Webster 1828 Edition

Harness

H`ARNESS

, n.
1.
Armor; the whole accouterments or equipments of a knight or horseman; originally perhaps defensive armor, but in a more modern and enlarged sense, the furniture of a military man,or offensive, as a casque, cuirass,helmet, girdle, sword,buckler, &c.
2.
The furniture of a draught horse, whether for a wagon, coach, gig, chaise, &c., called in some of the American states, tackle or tackling, with which, in its primary sense, it is synonymous.

H`ARNESS

,
Verb.
T.
To dress in armor; to equip with armor for war, as a horseman.
Harnessed in rugged steel.
1.
To put on the furniture of a horse for draught.
Harness the horses. Jer.46.
2.
To defend; to equip or furnish for defense. 1 Macc.4.

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