throttle - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

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, as when you beat someone really badly at tennis, you could say "you throttled her," but nobody has to get hurt.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: throttle

1	n v	a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine place limits on (extent or access)
2	v	kill by squeezing the throat of so as to cut off the air

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: throttle

1

n a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine

Synonyms:: accelerator, throttle valve

Type of:: valve
control consisting of a mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid

n a pedal that controls the throttle valve

Synonyms:: accelerator, accelerator pedal, gas, gas pedal, gun

Type of:: foot lever, foot pedal, pedal, treadle
a lever that is operated with the foot

v place limits on (extent or access)

Synonyms:: bound, confine, limit, restrain, restrict, trammel

Types:: show 15 types...; hide 15 types...; reduce, tighten
narrow or limit; tie
limit or restrict to; gate
restrict (school boys') movement to the dormitory or campus as a means of punishment; draw a line, draw the line
reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on); mark off, mark out
set boundaries to and delimit; harness, rein, rule
keep in check; baffle, regulate
check the emission of (sound); cramp, halter, hamper, strangle
prevent the progress or free movement of; constrain, stiffen, tighten, tighten up
restrict; clamp down, crack down
repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable); inhibit
limit the range or extent of; constrain, cumber, encumber, restrain
hold back; bridle
put a bridle on; curb
keep to the curb; clog
impede the motion of, as with a chain or a burden

Type of:: check, contain, control, curb, hold, hold in, moderate
lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits

2

v kill by squeezing the throat of so as to cut off the air

Synonyms:: strangle, strangulate

Types:: garotte, garrote, garrotte, scrag
strangle with an iron collar

Type of:: kill
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

v reduce the air supply

Synonyms:: choke

Type of:: enrich
make better or improve in quality