throw down the gauntlet
"throw-down-the-gauntlet" is a 20-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“throw down the gauntlet” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 23
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To issue a challenge.
Corpus desk
Index EN-throw-down-the-gauntlet · throw down the gauntlet · English
throw down the gauntlet · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 23 letters
- VOW-6 6 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "T" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | throw down the gauntlet |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| Letters | 23 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “throw down the gauntlet” in English
Rare enough to double-check
throw down the gauntlet is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To issue a challenge.".
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for throw down the gauntlet, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: 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). The correct English form is throw down the gauntlet, spelled T-H-R-O-W- -D-O-W-N- -T-H-E- -G-A-U-N-T-L-E-T.
Definition
- 1To issue a challenge.
Recorded use
Wiktionary exampleThese source excerpts show how throw down the gauntlet appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
We might as well dispute with Dimock on a Coronation Day, as argue with these Writers. They strut, vapour, throw down the Gauntlet, and defy us to take it up.
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).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.