Question

what does the phrase throw down the gauntlet mean?
despite the teams poor performance, the coach was anxious to throw down the gauntlet.

to give up before trying

to end the game

to frighten the other team

to challenge another team

Explanation:

The phrase "throw down the gauntlet" is an idiom. In historical contexts, dropping a gauntlet (a type of glove) was a way to issue a challenge. In modern usage, it means to challenge someone. Among the options, "to challenge another team" aligns with this meaning. The other options ("to give up before trying", "to end the game", "to frighten the other team") do not match the idiomatic meaning.

Answer:

to challenge another team