gauntlet

A difficult or painful experience involving many problems, tests, or criticisms.

• Applicants face a gauntlet of interviews.
• She ran the gauntlet of angry reporters outside the court.
• Getting the plan approved meant surviving a gauntlet of difficult meetings.

How to use it: run the gauntlet of something (The mayor ran the gauntlet of questions from reporters.)

Similar words: ordeal, trial

Common phrases: run the gauntlet, a gauntlet of questions, face a gauntlet

A hard protective glove worn by a soldier in metal armor.

• The knight removed his gauntlet.
• A sword struck his metal gauntlet.
• The museum displays a pair of medieval gauntlets.

Similar words: armored glove

Common phrases: steel gauntlet, armored gauntlet, a knight’s gauntlet

A protective glove that extends over the wrist and sometimes part of the arm.

• Wear gauntlets to protect your wrists.
• Her leather gauntlets kept out the cold.
• The welder replaced his worn gauntlets before starting work.

Similar words: long glove

Common phrases: leather gauntlet, welding gauntlet, protective gauntlet

An attack coming from two or more directions at the same time.

• They faced a gauntlet of stones from both sides.
• The soldiers passed through a gauntlet of enemy fire.
• Fans formed a gauntlet, striking the visiting players as they passed.

Common phrases: a gauntlet of blows, face a gauntlet, through a gauntlet