verb
Meaning 1
To issue a challenge.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
throw down the gauntlet
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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History
Etymology
From the late medieval custom symbolizing a challenge, in French jeter le gant which nowadays usually means to give up after having tried hard (leaving the challenge to any takers). The English phrase dates to the 1540s (figurative use by the 18th century).
Across languages
Translations
12 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Catalan: llançar el guant — issue a challenge
- Chinese Mandarin: 挑戰 /挑战 (tiǎozhàn) — issue a challenge
- Dutch: iemand uitdagen — issue a challenge
- Finnish: heittää taisteluhansikas — issue a challenge
- French: jeter le gant — issue a challenge
- German: den Fehdehandschuh hinwerfen — issue a challenge
- Indonesian: mengajukan tantangan — issue a challenge
- Indonesian: menantang — issue a challenge
- Polish: rzucać rękawicę — issue a challenge
- Polish: rzucić rękawicę — issue a challenge
- Spanish: arrojar el guante — issue a challenge
- Swedish: kasta handsken — issue a challenge