gantlet

¹

[gant-lit, gawnt-]

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.

verb (used with object)

1. Railroads.,  to form or lay down as a gantlet.

   to gantlet tracks.

gantlet

²

[gant-lit, gawnt-]

noun

1. gauntlet.

gantlet

¹

/ ˈɡæntlɪt, ˈɡɔːnt- /

noun

1. a section of a railway where two tracks overlap

2. a variant spelling of gauntlet 2

gantlet

²

/ ˈɡɔːnt-, ˈɡæntlɪt /

noun

1. a variant of gauntlet 1

Other Word Forms

• gantleted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gantlet¹

First recorded in 1900–05; variant of gantlope

Word History and Origins

Origin of gantlet¹

C17 gantlope (modern spelling influenced by _gauntlet ¹ ), from Swedish gatlopp, literally: passageway, from gata way (related to _gate ³) + lop course

Example Sentences

Through Season 1’s horrific gantlet of murderous kids’ games, his exterior is scraped away with a rusty edge until all that’s left is a flawed but good man.

From Los Angeles Times

On Friday night, their already overworked bullpen had been gassed again by their extra-inning gantlet.

From Los Angeles Times

Residents fleeing a wildfire in Pacific Palisades faced a gantlet of danger as roads became choked with traffic and fast-moving flames threatened evacuation routes.

From Los Angeles Times

Driving down my quiet street in Laguna Beach felt more like running a gantlet than coming home.

From Los Angeles Times

Perhaps you’re making the neighborhood kids work for their treats by having them run a gantlet of shrieks, fog and strobe lights to get to the bowl of candy.

From Los Angeles Times