double harness
Definition
Noun (uncountable): 1. A type of horse harness for two animals: "double harness" refers to a set of straps and fittings used to attach two horses (or other draft animals) side by side to pull a vehicle or plow. This is the literal, original meaning. 2. Married life or a close partnership (figurative): In a metaphorical sense, "double harness" denotes the state of being married or working in a close, cooperative relationship, often implying shared responsibilities and mutual support.
Usage Examples
- Literal: (A harness designed for two animals working jointly.)
- Figurative: (He entered into married life.)
- Figurative: (They collaborated closely as partners.)
Advanced Usage
- "to run in double harness": This idiomatic phrase means to be married or to be in a close partnership.
- They have been running in double harness for over thirty years. (They have been married or paired together for a long time.)
Variants and Related Words
- Double-harnessed (adj): fitted with a double harness or metaphorically paired.
- The double-harnessed team pulled the carriage smoothly. (The two horses were attached with a double harness.)
Synonyms
- Marriage: the state of being wedded.
- Partnership: a cooperative relationship.
- Yoking: the act of joining together, as in a harness.
Related Idioms
- "Double harness" (as a fixed phrase): used primarily in the figurative sense to refer to marriage.
- He prefers the freedom of single life to the constraints of double harness. (He prefers being unmarried over being married.)
Phrasal Verbs