Throttle up Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Vehicle Acceleration Usually means speeding up a vehicle by increasing fuel flow. She throttled up her boat to catch up with the others. Pro Tip 2/3Action Intensity Can imply increasing the intensity or effort in an activity. During the race, he throttled up his pace to take the lead. Pro Tip 3/3Technical Action Used in technical contexts like piloting or operating machinery. The pilot throttled up for takeoff.