Definition of "gauntlet"

The hands were defended by Gauntlets, these were sometimes of chain mail, but oftener of small plates of iron rivetted together, in imitation of the lobster's tail, so as to yield every motion of the hand, some gauntlets inclosed the whole hand, as in a box or case, others were divided into fingers, each finger consisting of eight or ten separate pieces, the inside gloved with buff leather, some of these reached no higher than the wrist, others to the elbow; the latter were stiled long armed gauntlets: many of them are to be seen in the Tower; for a representation of one of them, see plate 26, fig 6.

1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, pages 22–23

Solventproof rubber gauntlets under solventproof sleeves closed at the wrists should be worn.

1969, Lance William DeStwolinski, Occupational Health in the Construction Industry, page 235

[John] Winthrop ran the gantlet of daily slights from his neighbors.

1858, John Gorham Palfrey, chapter XII, in History of New England during the Stuart Dynasty. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown, and Company, book I, page 481