throw down the gauntlet

Idioms  

1. Declare or issue a challenge, as in The senator threw down the gauntlet on the abortion issue. This expression alludes to the medieval practice of a knight throwing down his gauntlet, or metal glove, as a challenge to combat. Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1700s, as does the less frequently heard take up the gauntlet, for accepting a challenge.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

throw down the gauntlet

Confronting an authoritarian strongman about his war crimes, Mon Mothma’s address to the Galactic Senate sees the future leader of the Rebel Alliance throw down the gauntlet against Emperor Palpatine.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2025

Food Lifeline’s CEO, Linda Nageotte, says they didn’t move to a livable wage for the praise or to throw down the gauntlet for other nonprofits working in social and human services.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 8, 2022

In a new study, published today in the journal Science Advances, scientists decided to really throw down the gauntlet.

From The Verge ● Feb. 13, 2019

Its chair Maria Millerpromised she would "throw down the gauntlet to companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter".

From The Guardian ● Jun. 19, 2013

He had no wish to throw down the gauntlet to the princes of Christendom, or to quarrel with Edward and Philip, between whom he was still conducting negotiations.

From The History of England From the Accession of Henry III. to the Death of Edward III. (1216-1377) by William Hunt

Related Words

• cross swords