take up the gauntlet
Verb
Meaning
take up the gauntlet (third-person singular simple present takes up the gauntlet, present participle taking up the gauntlet, simple past took up the gauntlet, past participle taken up the gauntlet)
(idiomatic) To accept a challenge.
He doesn't read Greek, but he took up the gauntlet and did his best to understand the letter, anyway.
Synonyms
Examples
The nation must salute to such girls who dared to take up the gauntlet and made sure there was no other way to escape her tormentor.
We can only hope others will take up the gauntlet on our behalf.”