Literal meaning (a type of glove):
* The knight wore a gauntlet of steel on his right hand to protect it during battle.
* She adjusted the gauntlet on her left hand, feeling the smooth leather against her skin.
Figurative meaning (a difficult challenge):
* The new CEO was ready to run the gauntlet of investor questions during the earnings call.
* He had to face the gauntlet of his critics after the controversial decision.
* The team knew they were facing a gauntlet of tough opponents in the tournament.
Idioms:
* The company is throwing down the gauntlet to its competitors with this new product launch. (This means they are challenging them.)
* He ran the gauntlet of insults and criticism from his angry neighbors. (This means he endured a lot of negative attention.)
Note: The word "gauntlet" can also be used as a verb, meaning "to challenge someone to a fight or competition":
* He gauntletted his opponent to a duel.
* The two teams gauntletted each other with fierce intensity.