gauntlet

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Happy New Edition! Ring in the New Year with 
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/book.pl?c11.htm&1
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The Word of the Day for December 29 is:

gauntlet   \GAWNT-lut\   noun
     1 : a glove worn with medieval armor to protect the hand 
     2 : any of various protective gloves used especially in 
industry
    *3 : an open challenge (as to combat) -- used in phrases 
like _throw down the gauntlet_
     4 : a dress glove extending above the wrist

Example sentence:
     Herb threw down the gauntlet, asking his guests, "Which 
one of you wants to get beaten in a game of chess?"

Did you know?
     "Gauntlet" comes from Middle French "gantelet," the 
diminutive of "gant," meaning "glove." (The "gauntlet" that 
means "severe trial," "ordeal," or "double file of armed men" 
is a different word that originates from Old Swedish "gata," 
meaning "road," and "lop," meaning "course.") "To throw down 
the gauntlet" means "to issue an open challenge." "To pick up 
the gauntlet" means "to accept an open challenge." These 
figurative phrases come from the conventions of medieval 
combat. The gauntlet was the glove of a suit of armor. To 
challenge someone to combat, a knight would throw his glove at 
another knight's feet. The second knight would take it up if he 
intended to accept the challenge, in which case a jousting 
match might ensue. 

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.