Har"ness (-n&ebreve;s), 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. 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.
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.
Har"ness, v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Harnessed (-n&ebreve;st); 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. (Zoöl.) See
Guib. -- Harnessed moth
(Zoöl.), an American bombycid moth (Arctia
phalerata of Harris), having, on the fore wings, stripes and
bands of buff on a black ground.
