throttle down

English

Verb

throttle down (third-person singular simple present throttles down, present participle throttling down, simple past and past participle throttled down)

1. To reduce power to (an engine), reduce speed
   • 1908 March, Popular Mechanics, page 112:

     Therefore, before declutching, throttle down your engine.

   • 2008, W. David Woods, chapter 10, in How Apollo Flew to the Moon, Springer, published 2011, page 294:

     "You can feel it in here when it throttles down," noted Aldrin. "Better than the simulator."

2. To suppress (an emotion)
   • 1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter X, in Capricornia‎^[1], New York: D. Appleton-Century, published 1943, page 165:

     She had throttled down the chagrin the loss had caused her, observant of conventions, leaving it until decay had robbed the debtor of the right to the respect that must be given those that are Lying Dead.

   • 2016, Mercedes Lackey, chapter 1, in The Fairy Godmother, Harlequin:

     "Yes, Madame," Elena replied, throttling down her joy. They still might change their minds—something might happen.