throttles

Throttles are devices that control fuel or power flow to an engine—push the throttle forward to accelerate, pull back to slow down.

To throttle someone is to choke or strangle them by compressing the throat.

The meanings connect through restriction: a throttle restricts airflow to an engine just as hands throttling a neck restrict airflow to the lungs.

To throttle back is to reduce speed or intensity.

In computing, to throttle is to deliberately limit data transfer rates: The ISP throttles bandwidth during peak hours.