GARNISH  , a word meaning to

fit out, equip, furnish, now particularly used of decoration or ornament . It is formed from the O . Fr. garnisant or guarnissant, participle of garnir, guarnii , to furnish, equip . This is of Teutonic origin, the base being represented in O . Eng. warnian, to take warning, beware, and Ger. warnen, to warn, Eng. warn; the original sense would be to guard against, fortify, hence equip or fit out . The meaning of " warn " is seen in the law term " garnishee," a person who owes money to or holds money belonging to another and is " warned " by order of the court not to pay it to his immediate creditor but to a third" person who has obtained final judgment against that creditor .