1. A glove of armoured leather; protects the hand
   "The blacksmith wore gauntlets to handle hot materials";
   - gantlet [US], metal glove
    
2. A glove with long sleeve
   "The falconer wore a leather gauntlet to protect his arm from the bird's talons";
   - gantlet [US]
    
3. A challenge
   "threw down the gauntlet"; "took up the gauntlet";
   - gantlet [US]
    
4. 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 gauntlet as punishment";
   - gantlet [US]
    
5. The convergence of two parallel railway 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 gauntlet as it entered the station";
   - gantlet [US]

Derived forms: gauntlets

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: Gauntlet