Crimes Against Vocabulary

[gnomi]

This morning, I was listening to the radio, and the newscaster said that the jury "lowered the gauntlet" on Ted Stevens.

I'd hoped this was an isolated slip of the tongue (combining lowered the boom and threw the gauntlet), but, no, this usage is spread more widely*.

The problem? I'm now picturing Ted Stevens with a gauntlet on his head.


*If you are wondering about the -discount in that search, it is due to Amazon apparently discounting a game called The Gauntlet, and so a page talking about the lowering of the price popped up and messed with my numbers.

Comments

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

Argh! The NY Times used it.

*sobs*

(On the other hand, every time I hear "Ted Stevens" I instantly think of "Cat Stevens" which is an odd exchange.)

[530nm330hz.livejournal.com]

Who has Photoshop® foo? That calls for a new userpic. :-)

[madfilkentist]

It must be a really heavy gauntlet, lowered with a crane.

[twitch124.livejournal.com]

It doesn't say anything about the rate of descent. I'm picturing a gauntlet with a fist inside being actively punched in a downward direction.

(I had no idea that phrase was in common usage.)

[ckd]

I'm picturing a gauntlet with a fist inside being actively punched in a downward direction.

Sounds like one of the spell effects in Heroes of Might & Magic V.

[violetcheetah.livejournal.com]

Whereas for me, "lowered" has a connotation of slowness, so I picture a gentle pat on the head from a knight in armor.

How the heck do things like that take off? I mean, I know every idiom has to start somewhere, but...

[twitch124.livejournal.com]

Huh. For me, "lowered" has a connotation of power because of the idiom "lowered the boom."

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Oh dear...

Definitely a crime!

[celli]

.....??????

[dpolicar]

Later they'll bring in the greaves.

[sorek.livejournal.com]

ugh.

Is it "threw the gauntlet" or "threw down the gauntlet"? What if you just tossed the gloves at your opponent? :)

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Hm. Maybe a wimpy version of throwing down the gauntlet? "I kinda sorta challenge you..."