Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as gantlet, 1.
  • noun A glove; specifically, in medieval armor, a glove of defense, either attached to the defensive armor of the arm or separate from it.
  • noun A long stout glove, usually for use in riding or driving. As ordinarily worn, it covers loosely the lower part of the arm.
  • noun In a restricted sense, the wrist-cover or cuff alone of a glove.
  • noun A mitt.
  • noun In surgery, a form of bandage which envelops the hand and fingers like a glove.
  • noun Hence, in general — To challenge; invite opposition with the view of overcoming it.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A glove of such material that it defends the hand from wounds.
  • noun A long glove, covering the wrist.
  • noun (Naut.) A rope on which hammocks or clothes are hung for drying.
  • noun to accept a challenge.
  • noun to offer or send a challenge. The gauntlet or glove was thrown down by the knight challenging, and was taken up by the one who accepted the challenge; -- hence the phrases.
  • noun (Mil.) See gantlet.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Protective armor for the hands.
  • noun archaic Two parallel rows of attackers who strike at a criminal as punishment
  • noun Simultaneous attack from two or more sides
  • noun figuratively Any challenging, difficult, or painful ordeal, often one performed for atonement or punishment
  • noun rail transport A temporary convergence of two parallel railroad tracks allowing passage through a narrow opening in each direction without switching.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun to offer or accept a challenge
  • noun a glove of armored leather; protects the hand
  • noun a form of punishment in which a person is forced to run between two lines of men facing each other and armed with clubs or whips to beat the victim
  • noun a glove with long sleeve

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Middle English "glove", also gantelet, from Old French gantelet ("gauntlet worn by a knight in armor, a token of one's personality or person, and symbolizing a challenge"), diminutive of gant ("glove")

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From gantlope, from Swedish gatlopp ("passageway"), from Old Swedish gata ("lane") + lopp ("course"), from löpa ("to run")

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word gauntlet.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • A glove. A gantlet is the flogging ordeal through which one might run.

    December 24, 2006

  • Usage on run the gauntelope.

    October 9, 2008