在英语习语体系中，“throw down the gauntlet”是极具历史厚重感的表达，其核心并非字面“扔掉手套”，而是通过中世纪骑士文化的意象，延伸出 “公开、正式地提出挑战” 的核心语义——强调挑战者主动、坚定的姿态，且常带有“不回避冲突、要求对方回应”的隐含意味，比普通的“challenge”更具“仪式感”，暗含“双方需正面交锋”的期待。强调“主动、公开”，挑战者通过该行为明确传递“我已准备好对抗，等待你回应”的信号
需把握两个关键维度即姿态性和正式性；是日常交流与考试中的高频重点短语。
gauntlet /ˈɡɔːntlət/
n.(驾驶等用的)长手套，防护手套；(中世纪武士铠甲的)金属手套，铁手套
该短语的起源可追溯至12-15世纪的欧洲骑士时代。“gauntlet”指骑士佩戴的铁手套（兼具防护与身份象征意义）：当骑士想向他人发起挑战时，会主动摘下铁手套扔到对方面前；若对方take up the gauntlet捡起手套，即表示“接受挑战”，双方将通过决斗解决争端。这一骑士礼仪逐渐脱离骑士挑战场景，演变为通用习语，用于形容各类领域“主动发起挑战”的行为，沿用至今，常译为：发出挑战，主动挑战，公开挑战等
如：
The CEO threw down the gauntlet to the sales team to increase revenue by 50% this year.
CEO向销售团队下了明确的挑战，要求今年将收入提高50%。
When he joked about her cooking skills, she threw down the gauntlet and said she’d make a meal better than any he’d had.
当他调侃她的厨艺时，她主动发起挑战，说要做一顿比他吃过的任何一餐都好的饭。
After their breakup, she threw down the gauntlet to him, saying she’d prove she could live a happier life without him.
分手后，她向他发起挑战，称会证明没有他自己能过得更幸福。
He threw down the gauntlet to his rival for her attention, saying he’d do anything to win her heart.
为赢得她的青睐，他向情敌发起挑战，称愿意做任何事来争取她的心。
The opposition leader threw down the gauntlet to the president, demanding a public debate on the new policy.
反对党领袖向总统公开挑战，要求就新政策进行公开辩论。
The new startup threw down the gauntlet to industry giants by offering a product with half the price and better quality.
这家新初创公司向行业巨头发起挑战，推出一款价格减半且质量更优的产品。
The country threw down the gauntlet to the international community by announcing it would continue its nuclear program.
该国通过宣布将继续其核计划，向国际社会发起挑战。
The rebel group threw down the gauntlet to the government army, attacking one of its key military bases.
反叛组织通过袭击政府军队的一个关键军事基地，向其发起挑战。A graduate student threw down the gauntlet to the professor, questioning the validity of his long-held theory.
一名研究生向教授发起挑战，质疑其长期持有的理论的有效性。
My best friend threw down the gauntlet, saying she could beat me at a game of tennis in less than 30 minutes.
我最好的朋友向我发起挑战，说她能在30分钟内打赢我一场网球赛。
Ser Jorah threw down the gauntlet to the knight, declaring he’d defend Daenerys Targaryen with his life. 《权力的游戏》
乔拉爵士向那名骑士公开挑战，宣称会用生命保护丹妮莉丝·坦格利安。
Captain Jack Sparrow threw down the gauntlet to Lord Beckett, laughing that he’d never be caught by the East India Trading Company. 《加勒比海盗》
杰克·斯派洛船长向贝克特勋爵发起挑战，笑着说自己永远不会被东印度贸易公司抓住。
When the young athlete saw that the defending champion looked down on her, she threw down the gauntlet and said she’d fight for the gold medal.（2022高考全国卷一）
当这位年轻运动员看到卫冕冠军看不起她时，她发出了主动挑战，说她会为金牌而战。
The researcher threw down the gauntlet to her colleagues, arguing that their method of data collection was outdated and proposing a new approach.（2023年考研英语（一））
研究人员向同事们提出了挑战，认为他们的数据收集方法已经过时，并提出了一种新方法。
The scientist threw down the gauntlet to traditional theories by providing evidence that contradicted them.（2024年雅思）
这位科学家通过提供与传统理论相矛盾的证据，向传统理论发起了挑战。
The company threw down the gauntlet to its competitors by announcing a major innovation, which was seen as a direct threat to the industry’s existing balance.（2025六级）
该公司宣布了一项重大创新，向竞争对手发起了挑战，这被视为对行业现有平衡的直接威胁。
“throw down the gauntlet”以中世纪骑士挑战礼仪为源头，核心是“主动、公开地提出挑战”，既可用在严肃的政治、军事场景，也可用于轻松的恋爱、交友互动。
