lever vs throttle

lever

noun
  • A small such piece to trigger or control a mechanical device (like a button). 

  • A bar, as a capstan bar, applied to a rotatory piece to turn it. 

  • An arm on a rock shaft, to give motion to the shaft or to obtain motion from it. 

  • A levee. 

  • A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (the fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; — used for transmitting and modifying force and motion. 

  • Specifically, a bar of metal, wood or other rigid substance, used to exert a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the six mechanical powers, and is of three kinds, according as either the fulcrum F, the weight W, or the power P, respectively, is situated between the other two, as in the figures. 

verb
  • To use, operate or move (something) like a lever (physically). 

  • To move with a lever. 

  • To increase the share of debt in the capitalization of a business. 

  • To use (something) like a lever (in an abstract sense). 

throttle

noun
  • The lever or pedal that controls this valve. 

  • 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. 

verb
  • To utter with breaks and interruption, in the manner of a person half suffocated. 

  • To have the throat obstructed so as to be in danger of suffocation; to choke; to suffocate. 

  • To control or adjust the speed of (an engine). 

  • To breathe hard, as when nearly suffocated. 

  • To cut back on the speed of (an engine, person, organization, network connection, etc.). 

  • To strangle or choke someone. 

How often have the words lever and throttle occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )