From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgauntletgaunt‧let /ˈɡɔːntlɪt $ ˈɡɒːnt-/ noun 1 → throw down the gauntlet2 → pick up/take up the gauntlet3 → run the gauntlet4 [countable]DCC a long glove that covers someone’s wrist and protects their hand, for example in a factory5 [countable]PMAH a glove covered in metal, used for protection by soldiers in the past
Examples from the Corpus
gauntlet• Our players have to go through a gauntlet of fans to get to their cars.• It was a gauntlet tossed down to the concept that computer time was so precious that not a moment should be wasted.• The injury was caused by fighting with maces whilst not wearing a gauntlet.• As he went back to where the Percys were, four men wearing rubber gauntlets came carrying large aluminum cans.• They recognized that some of their objectives could be reached by administrative action without running the gauntlet of the legislative process.• The gauntlet is being thrown down by Pemex to the international community.Origin gauntlet 1. (1400-1500) French gantelet, from gant “glove”2. (1600-1700) Swedish gatlopp, from Old Swedish gata “way, road” + lop “course, run” 