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. --Milton.
2. To utter with breaks and interruption, in the manner of a
person half suffocated. [R.]
Throttle their practiced accent in their fears.
--Shak.
3. To shut off, or reduce flow of, as steam to an engine.