throttle

UK: /ˈθrɒt^əl/ US: /ˈθrɑtəl/ ,(throt′l)

Inflections of 'throttle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

throttles

v 3rd person singular

throttling

v pres p

throttled

v past

throttled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

throt•tle /ˈθrɑtəl/   n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. [countable]

1. Mechanical Engineering
   • the valve in an engine that controls the amount of fuel entering the cylinders.
   • the lever that controls this valve.

v. 

2. [~ + object] to choke (someone) by squeezing the throat;
   strangle.
3. to reduce the speed of, by or as if by using a throttle: [no object]
   The pilot throttled back on her engines.
   [~ + object]
   She throttled her engines and reduced height.

Idioms

4. Idioms at full throttle, at maximum speed or effort:
   He went after the car at full throttle.

throt•tler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

throt•tle  (throt′l), n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. 

1. Mechanical Engineering Also called throttle lever. a lever, pedal, handle, etc., for controlling or manipulating a throttle valve.
2. Mechanical Engineering See throttle valve. 
3. the throat, gullet, or windpipe, as of a horse.
4. at full throttle, at maximum speed.

v.t. 

5. to stop the breath of by compressing the throat;
   strangle.
6. to choke or suffocate in any way.
7. to compress by fastening something tightly around.
8. to silence or check as if by choking:
   His message was throttled by censorship.
9. [Mach.]
   • Mechanical Engineering to obstruct or check the flow of (a fluid), as to control the speed of an engine.
   • Mechanical Engineering to reduce the pressure of (a fluid) by passing it from a smaller area to a larger one.

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

throt′tler, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

throttle / ˈθrɒt^əl/ 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

verb (transitive)

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
4. to regulate the speed at which data is delivered to a network user

Etymology: 14th Century: throtelen, from throte throat

ˈthrottler noun