Military Discipline Terminology

noun a lack of courage or bravery; timidity

• His act of running away in the face of danger showed his cowardice.
• He chickened out at the last minute, revealing his cowardice.
• Don't be such a wimp, show some courage instead of cowardice.
• The decision to stay silent in the face of injustice is a form of cowardice.

noun a form of punishment or torture in which the victim is forced to run between two lines of people who strike at him or her

• The soldier had to run the gantlet of enemy fire to reach the safety of the bunker.
• I had to go through the gantlet of paperwork just to get a simple permit.
• She had to run the gantlet of gossip at school after the rumor spread.
• The new employee had to run the gantlet of office politics to gain acceptance among his coworkers.