Run the gauntlet

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Meaning

Pass through a threatening series of attacks, criticism, questions or other ordeals. Gantlet remains an accepted American spelling. Do not derive this phrase from throwing down a knight's gauntlet, which is a different idiom. Regional use: Entered British military English from Swedish; now international English.

Origin

The expression does not originally concern an armoured glove. English soldiers adopted the Swedish gatlopp, a 'lane run' punishment between two rows of people striking the offender, as gantlope: Shaftesbury's diary records men condemned to 'run the gantelope' in 1646. The spelling was reshaped through association with gauntlet, and Increase Mather printed 'run the Gauntlet' in 1676 before later figurative broadening.

Research Sources

  1. Run the gauntlet Phrase Finder
  2. Run the gauntlet Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Variants

  • Run the gantlope
  • Run the gantlet
  • Go through the gauntlet

Usage Examples

  • The witness had to run the gauntlet of cameras outside the court.
  • New proposals must run the gauntlet of legal, financial and public review.
  • We ran the gauntlet of sales pitches before reaching the exhibition hall.

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