gantlet
1
[
gant
-lit,
gawnt
-]
/ˈgænt lɪt, ˈgɔnt-/
noun
1.
Railroads.
a track construction used in narrow places, in which two parallel tracks converge so that their inner rails cross, run parallel, and diverge again, thus allowing a train to remain on its own track at all times.
2.
gauntlet
2
(defs 1, 2, 4).
verb (used with object)
3.
Railroads.
to form or lay down as a gantlet:
to gantlet tracks.
Also,
gauntlet
(for defs 1, 3).
Origin
1900-05;
variant of
gantlope
gantlet
2
[
gant
-lit,
gawnt
-]
/ˈgænt lɪt, ˈgɔnt-/
noun
1.
gauntlet
1
.
Related forms
gantleted,
adjective
Examples from the web for
gantlet
As the canyon widens, the river runs a
gantlet
of great palisade walls rimmed with slickrock peaks and hanging valleys.
Manatees struggle for survival as the result of a
gantlet
of threats, from watercraft strikes to toxins in the water.
We hunch beneath a low overhang and stumble into a
gantlet
of skulls.
When fuel prices are sky high, ticket prices are low and the security
gantlet
at airports has become a contact sport.
British Dictionary definitions for
gantlet
gantlet
1
/
ˈɡæntlɪt;
ˈɡɔːnt-
/
noun
1.
a section of a railway where two tracks overlap
2.
(
US
)
a variant spelling of
gauntlet
2
Word Origin
C17
gantlope
(modern spelling influenced by
gauntlet
1
), from Swedish
gatlopp,
literally: passageway, from
gata
way (related to
gate
³) +
lop
course
gantlet
2
/
ˈɡæntlɪt;
ˈɡɔːnt-
/
noun
1.
a variant of
gauntlet
1
gauntlet
1
/
ˈɡɔːntlɪt
/
noun
1.
a medieval armoured leather glove
2.
a heavy glove with a long cuff
3.
take up the gauntlet,
to accept a challenge
4.
throw down the gauntlet,
to offer a challenge
Word Origin
C15: from Old French
gantelet,
diminutive of
gant
glove, of Germanic origin
Word Origin and History for
gantlet
see
gauntlet
(n.1).