Variant spelling of "run the gantlet." Spelled either way, it's pronounced
gauntlet. A gantlet is a double line of people with clubs, whips,
tomahawks, fraternity paddles, or other weapons; the poor bastard being punished runs between the lines and everyone hits him as he goes by. Depending on weapons and circumstances, this has been used as an initiation, a test of courage, a way to decide which prisoner to let go (to take the message back that you are holding
hostages), or a way to execute someone without making any one person responsible. Often used to describe what the
in-crowd does to a noob before accepting him -- "Making him run the gantlet" is a stronger, more violent expression than "making him pay some dues" or "putting him through all the hoops."
The Indians made old Zeke
run the gauntlet and when he made it through with just some cuts and a lump on his head, they let him go.
My first year on the job they made me run the gantlet, but after that I was in.
At
Kappa Kappa Kappa they make us pledges run the gauntlet for three months, and then on initiation night they make us run a real gantlet; I got through with my ass only getting about five hits, but my roommate fell down and they
flayed his pathetic ass.
