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Glite Dictionary
⚔️ A challenge 🧤 A protective glove 🏃 A harsh trial
gauntlet

gauntlet

13 9.9
A punishment where a person runs between two rows of people who hit them
  • noun
  • /ˈɡɔntlə/
  • NSFW
translation icon : castigo de pasar entre dos filas que golpean
  • He had to run the gauntlet of angry students throwing things at him during the initiation ceremony.
  • run the gauntlet

Why must I walk through this bobble headed doll gauntlet of all the worst figures in order to get a toy for my child?

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Examples

  • During the punishment, the soldier must run the gauntlet while the other soldiers strike him with sticks.

  • It's not gonna be easy running that gauntlet out there.

    The Return of Swamp Thing (1989)

  • Had you ever run the gauntlet before?

    First Knight (1995)

  • The day has come for you to run the gauntlet.

    Charming (2018)

  • First we have to run the gauntlet.

    North by Northwest (1959)

  • Sarah and Jill follow close behind, running the gauntlet of activists and reporters.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • First we had to run the gauntlet of receptionists, nurses, and physicians' assistants, each of whom asked the same questions.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Thermopylae had required freshmen to run the gauntlet between long lines of upperclassmen.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The prisoners were forced to endure the gauntlet, as guards lined up to hit them as they passed.

Synonyms

gantlet
vsgauntlet
  • Offensive
9.9

A punishment where a person runs between two rows of people who hit them

is the same meaning but appears as an alternate spelling form

Idioms

to throw down the gauntlet
4 7.7

To openly challenge someone in front of others

to run the gauntlet
3 8.1

To face many difficult questions or strong criticism

to pick up the gauntlet
  • Informal
1 8.6

To accept a challenge and try to meet it

to take up the gauntlet
  • Informal
1 8.1

To accept a public challenge to show you will compete

How Severe

execution
361 6.5
corporal punishment
  • Offensive
11 5.7
gauntlet
  • NSFW
13 9.9
fine
321 2.8
reprimand
  • Formal
24 6.1

Surface Forms

gauntlet singular
gauntlets plural

Etymology

The other meaning of gauntlet comes from an old Swedish word gatlopp meaning 'run the lane', a punishment where a person ran between two lines of people who would strike them. That's why to 'run the gauntlet' now means to face a series of painful problems or strong criticism.