harness
.
Searchable Lemmata: harneis (AF), harneis (ME), harnesium (L), harnesia (L), harnes (OScots), harness (MdE), harneiser (AF), harneisen (ME), harnessed (ME), harnesiare (L), harness (MdE), harnessed (MdE).
Alternate Forms: harnas, harnis, harnise, harnaes, harnais, harnaise, harnayse, harneise, harneisse, harnes, harnés, harnesse, harneys, harneyse, harnies, harneisse, harneies, harnois, harnoise, harnoiz, harnich, harnoys, hernaes, ernais, hernas, hernays, herneis, herneise, herneys, hernies, hernois, hernoise, hernous, hernoys, hernoyse, arneis, arnesse, harneisez, herneisez, hernoisez, hernoiz, harnasio, hernasio, hernesio, hernisio, hernisium, hernesium, harnesiorum, harnesiis, harnisiis, harneys, hernoys, harneschier, harnoiser, herneiser, herneyser, hernescher, herneschier, herniser, hernisser, hernoyser, herneysé, hernissé, harnist, harnyst, harneseandum, harnesiandum, hernesiandis.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1a(n.)
Armour;
generally meaning equipment, gear, tackle, etc., used specifically to refer to armour; armour and weapons (collectively); a complete set or suit of armour. Also in compounds and phrases: ME 'harneis armature' (body armour?); AF 'harneis pur jambe' (leg-armour), etc. [evidence provided here reflects these specific senses only]. Also, used (in the plural) to refer to a group of armed men.(circa 1220 still in current use)
1. quando ... debebit ... ire ad comitatum ... Adam inveniet et ij partes custi j armigeri ad hernesium suum deferendum
Accounts.
[DMLBS CurR (XI 2045) 1224]
2. phaleras: harneys a hume ... poder[is] gallice: bassures ... sagena: deche ... sagina: harneys a femme
Gloss.
[AND TLL (ii 56) ante 1300]
Sex: Male Use: Military Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1b(n.) ;
generally meaning equipment, gear, tackle, etc., used specifically to refer to clothing, attire; livery; wardrobe.(ante 1215 still in current use)
1. Qe Benoit, quant l'eust veu, Par lor semblant fust deceu Quant quidast qe Rigges fust rois Por sa robe e por son hernois ... Fiz, oste ces dras, Car bien sez toens ne sont is pas. N’est pas sens d’autrui peleure Orguillos estre
[AND Dial Greg (46vb) 1212]
6. [3] ... To my seruant Iohn Buelt, vj markes & i gowne of Russet medley furred with blak ... [25] ... All my clothynge & werynge harneys and beddynge at Vsk
Legal, Wills.
[MED EEWills (111/3-25) 1438]
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1c(n.)
Furnishing;
trappings, gear, tackle or accoutrements for a horse or a cart (also horse-armour - cf. sense 1a above).(ante 1250 still in current use)
1. in hernisio empto ad summarium capelle regis, sc. barhuda, scella, ij cofinis et aliis ... rebus ad idem hernisium pertinentibus
Accounts.
[DMLBS Pipe (282) 1242]
5. Many a vicious knaue ... is sustened by cause of hem in to curious harneys, as in sadeles, in crouperes, peytrels [vrr. peitrelis, peitresles, peytrelles] and bridles, couered with precious clothyng and riche barres and plates of gold. ... Goddes sone of heuene ... whan he rood vp on the asse ... ne hadde noon oother harneys but the pouere clothes of hise disciples
Poetic.
[MED Chaucer CT.Pars. ((Manly-Rickert) I.433-435) circa 1390]
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1d(n.)
Decoration;
decoration or fitting of an artefact; metal work (on a belt, etc.); fittings for or metal work on a weapon, girdle, utensil, etc. Also, figurative (trimmings, circumstances, etc.).(circa 1300 - ante 1500 ?)
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1e(n.) ;
trappings or ornaments of various sorts: an unspecified woman's garment or decoration [L sagina, AND, TLL ii 56]; ? a habit [Prov inéd 431.4]; armorial bearings, a coat-of-arms (perhaps an an error for ME harmes, armes) [Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 458].(ante 1300 - ante 1600 ?)
1. phaleras: harneys a hume ... poder[is] gallice: bassures ... sagena: deche ... sagina: harneys a femme
Gloss.
[AND TLL (ii 56) ante 1300]
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2(n.)
Modern technical term;
mechanism of cords and pulleys by which warp threads are raised on a treadle-loom.(circa 1570 - circa 1880)
Sex: N/A Use: Secular Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
3a(vb.)
Utilisation;
to equip (another on oneself) with arms, armour or accoutrement; to dress in clothes or livery. Regularly appears as a past participle, 'harnessed', arrayed, equiped.(ante 1206 still in current use)
Sex: Male, Female Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
3b(vb.)
Utilisation;
to adorn or equip something (a weapon, girdle, horse, etc.); to decorate. Regularly appears as a past participle, 'harnessed', adorned, decorated.(ante 1250 still in current use)
2. [23] ... un botoner de cynk m. d’or ... [25] ... item que vous delivrez a nostre tres amé chivaler ... une corne herneisez d'ore et de perles ové une tissue blank et bleu
[AND GAUNT1 (ii 23-25) 1372/1376]
4. [327] ... v olde chesiplis ... and olde veyle of party ... [328] ... A gyrdyl y harnyst with selver, party corse with xi barris ... with bocle & pennants ... [329] ... Item, Cecily Roche byqueþe a sylvyr ryng overgyld ye we3t iij d. & ob. Item, a sylvyr ryng overgyld, ye which was found yn ye chirch ye we3t x d.
Accounts.
[MED Invent.Cirencester in BGAS 18 (327-9) circa 1465]
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, Old French harnois, harneis, harnes, harnas, hernois (? ultimately Germanic). British L harnesium, harnesia from AF usage [DMLBS]. It is likely that ME/MdE usage stems from AF usage as well.
Verbal forms from Old French harneschier (AF harneiser, etc.), with ME/MdE forms influenced by the ME noun, harneis.
WF:
Etym Cog: harnois (OF), harneschier (OF).
References:
