harness

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈhɑɹ.nəs/ UK /ˈhɑː.nəs/ See IPA manual

Freq #10092

Meanings

1

verb
To control and use something powerful, such as energy or natural forces.

Scientists are looking for better ways to harness solar energy.
2

noun
A set of straps used to hold something safely to a person's body or to control a person or animal.

The climber checked his safety harness before starting up the cliff.
3

verb
To put a harness on an animal so it can pull something.

They harnessed the horse to the cart before setting off.
4

noun
A bundle of wires or cables grouped together by function.

A faulty wiring harness caused the car's electrical problems.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 verb · to put a harness on an... tackle

Word family

Forms harnessedharnessesharnessing

Derived forms disharnessharnessableharnesserharnesslikeharnessmakerlegharnessreharnessunharness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

harness racing
horse racing in which drivers ride small carts pulled by trotting or pacing horses

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English harneys, harnes, harneis, harnais, herneis, from Anglo-Norman harneis and Old French hernois (“equipment used in battle”), believed to be from Old Norse *hernest, from herr (“army”) + nest (“provisions”) (from Proto-Germanic *nesaną (“to heal, recover”)). More at harry.

harneys Middle English harneis xno hernois Old French *hernest Old Norse *nesaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# harness

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhɑɹ.nəs/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhɑː.nəs/
**Frequency rank:** 10092

## Meanings
1. To control and use something powerful, such as energy or natural forces.
2. A set of straps used to hold something safely to a person's body or to control a person or animal.
3. To put a harness on an animal so it can pull something.
4. A bundle of wires or cables grouped together by function.

## Examples
- Scientists are looking for better ways to harness solar energy.
- The climber checked his safety harness before starting up the cliff.
- They harnessed the horse to the cart before setting off.
- A faulty wiring harness caused the car's electrical problems.

## Derived Forms
- disharness
- harnessable
- harnesser
- harnesslike
- harnessmaker
- legharness
- reharness
- unharness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: harneys
- Root: harneis
- Root: hernois
- Root: *hernest
- Root: *nesaną

## Etymology
From Middle English harneys, harnes, harneis, harnais, herneis, from Anglo-Norman harneis and Old French hernois (“equipment used in battle”), believed to be from Old Norse *hernest, from herr (“army”) + nest (“provisions”) (from Proto-Germanic *nesaną (“to heal, recover”)). More at harry.

## AI Etymology
Harness comes from Middle English harneys, harnes, harneis, harnais, herneis, from Anglo-Norman harneis and Old French hernois (“equipment used in battle”), believed to be from Old Norse *hernest, from herr (“army”) + nest (“provisions”) (from Proto-Germanic *nesaną (“to heal, recover”)). More at harry. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern verbal form is built from the named base and affix. In current use, the main senses are “To control and use something powerful, such as energy or natural forces” and “A set of straps used to hold something safely to a person's body or to control a person or animal”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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