harness the power

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

to capture, direct, and make productive use of a natural force, resource, or potential that would otherwise remain untapped or uncontrolled; the metaphor derives from the literal harnessing of horses and oxen, in which the animal's strength is channelled through a harness into useful work; in the context of energy and sustainability the phrase is used to describe the capture of solar radiation, wind, tidal forces, and geothermal heat as sources of renewable electricity; more broadly it is used in contexts of innovation and social change to describe the process of organising and directing collective energy, talent, or enthusiasm toward productive ends