Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Throttle

//ˈθɹɒt.l̩// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A valve that regulates the supply of fuel-air mixture to an internal combustion engine and thus controls its speed; a similar valve that controls the air supply to an engine.
  2. 2
    a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine wordnet
  3. 3
    The lever or pedal that controls this valve.

    "To my unpractised eye, the undulations in the track were quite imperceptible, but the engineer's hand on the throttle was never still."

  4. 4
    a pedal that controls the throttle valve wordnet
  5. 5
    The windpipe or trachea. archaic

    "Then up got Peg, and round the house gan scuttle, / In search of goods her customer to nail, / Until the Sultaun strain'd his princely throttle, / And hollow'd,—"Ma'am, that is not what I ail.["]"

Verb
  1. 1
    To control or adjust the speed of (an engine). transitive
  2. 2
    reduce the air supply wordnet
  3. 3
    To cut back on the speed of (an engine, person, organization, network connection, etc.). transitive
  4. 4
    place limits on (extent or amount or access) wordnet
  5. 5
    To strangle or choke someone. transitive

    "Grant him this, and the Parliament hath no more freedom than if it sat in his noose, which, when he pleases to draw together with one twitch of his negative, shall throttle a whole nation, to the wish of Caligula, in one neck."

Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    kill by squeezing the throat of so as to cut off the air wordnet
  2. 7
    To have the throat obstructed so as to be in danger of suffocation; to choke; to suffocate. intransitive
  3. 8
    To breathe hard, as when nearly suffocated. intransitive
  4. 9
    To utter with breaks and interruption, in the manner of a person half suffocated. transitive

    "I have seen them shiver and look pale, Make periods in the midst of sentences, Throttle their practised accent in their fears."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English *throtel, diminutive of throte (“throat”), equivalent to throat + -le. Compare German Drossel (“throttle”). More at throat.

Etymology 2

From Middle English throtlen (“to choke, strangle, suffocate”), from the noun (see above). Compare German erdrosseln (“to strangle, choke, throttle”).

See also for "throttle"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: throttle