throttle

American  

[throt-l] / ˈθrɒt l /

noun

throttles plural

1. Also called throttle lever.  a lever, pedal, handle, etc., for controlling or manipulating a throttle valve.

2. throttle valve.

3. the throat, gullet, or windpipe, as of a horse.

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verb (used with object)

throttles, present (3rd person singular) throttled, past participle, past throttling present participle

1. to stop the breath of by compressing the throat; strangle.

2. to choke or suffocate in any way.

3. to compress by fastening something tightly around.

4. to silence or check as if by choking.

   His message was throttled by censorship.

5. Machinery.

   1. to obstruct or check the flow of (a fluid), as to control the speed of an engine.

   2. to reduce the pressure of (a fluid) by passing it from a smaller area to a larger one.

idioms

1. at full throttle, at maximum speed.

throttle British  

/ ˈθrɒtəl /

noun

1. Also called: throttle valve.  any device that controls the quantity of fuel or fuel and air mixture entering an engine

2. an informal or dialect word for throat

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verb

1. to kill or injure by squeezing the throat

2. to suppress

   to throttle the press

3. to control or restrict (a flow of fluid) by means of a throttle valve

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• throttler
  noun
• unthrottled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• throttles
  plural

Participles

• throttling
  present
• throttled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• throttle
  simple
• throttles
  simple
• have throttled
  perfect
• has throttled
  perfect
• am throttling
  progressive
• are throttling
  progressive
• is throttling
  progressive
• have been throttling
  perfect progressive
• has been throttling
  perfect progressive

Past

• throttled
  simple
• had throttled
  perfect
• was throttling
  progressive
• were throttling
  progressive
• had been throttling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will throttle
  simple
• will have throttled
  perfect
• will be throttling
  progressive
• will have been throttling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of throttle

1350–1400; (v.) Middle English throtelen, frequentative of throten to cut the throat of (someone), strangle, derivative of throat; (noun) probably diminutive of Middle English throte throat; compare German Drossel

Explanation

The throttle of an engine controls the fuel going in, and if you're going at full throttle, you'd better hang onto your hat. You can think of a throttle as a throat, and the two words may be related. But as with a throat, if you block a throttle, something bad is likely to happen. You can throttle your car — cut off the air to the engine, also known as applying the choke — and you might stall it out. You can also throttle a person — the image is that you grab the person by the throat and cut off his air. It's much better to use throttle figuratively: when you crushed your opponent at tennis, you could say "you throttled her" — but nobody really got hurt.

Example Sentences

“I wouldn’t suggest to ride by yourself,” said Brian Hutchinson, owner of Full Throttle Recreation Club, which offers rentals and more from a Wenatchee HQ.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 11, 2022

But I did install some native Linux games from GOG and the Humble Bundle with only moderate success: Full Throttle Remastered wouldn’t play audio, and Cave Story+ didn’t recognize the Deck controls.

From The Verge • Feb. 25, 2022

“We are OK with all of the safety measures,” she said as she waited to board Full Throttle.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2021

Since then, the residence has also been seen in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and as a back-drop in high-fashion photo shoots.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2016

It will be noted that connecting rod "R" from valve "C" is removed from "Hole No. 1," in Throttle Lever "L" and placed in "Hole No. 2," in Throttle Lever.

From Marvel Carbureter and Heat Control As Used on Series 691 Nash Sixes Booklet S by Anonymous