1. 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
   "In medieval times, soldiers who deserted might be forced to run the gantlet as punishment";
   - gauntlet
    
2. A glove of armored leather; protects the hand
   "The blacksmith wore gantlets to handle hot materials";
   - gauntlet, metal glove
    
3. A glove with long sleeve
   "The falconer wore a leather gantlet to protect his arm from the bird's talons";
   - gauntlet
    
4. The convergence of two parallel railroad tracks in a narrow place; the inner rails cross and run parallel and then diverge so a train remains on its own tracks at all times
   "The train smoothly navigated the gantlet as it entered the station";
   - gauntlet
    
5. A challenge
   "The new legislation ran the gantlet of opposition in Congress";
   - gauntlet

Derived forms: gantlets

Type of: challenge, corporal punishment, glove, railroad [N. Amer], railroad track [N. Amer], railway [Brit, Cdn], railway track [Brit, Cdn]

Part of: body armor [US], body armour [Brit, Cdn], cataphract, coat of mail, suit of armor [US], suit of armour [Brit, Cdn]

Encyclopedia: Gantlet