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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Throt(e, Throat(e, n. Also: thrott, throit, throatt, trot. [ME and e.m.E. ðrote (c1220), throte (Chaucer), throat(e (Shakespeare), OE þrote.]

1. The front part of the neck, also, by metonymy, the neck. Also in fig. context.Freq., to cut (another's) throte (to cut throttis), to kill by severing the throat. Also fig. 1375 Barb. ix 394.
The king … schot in the dik and … it our-woud, Bot till his throt the watyr stude a1400 Leg. S. xii 287.
& resone wald that his throt ware Vith a snar cord hangyt ful sare a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 750.
A wicht man fast can hym ta Be the throt & gert bakwart ga a1400 Leg. S. xli 185.
The feynd threst his throt sa sare, That ded done he fel thare ?1438 Alex. ii 5621.
Gif he [sc. the king] vs leif of land ane grote, And syne gar hang vs be the throte c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 118.
For he opnyt na mare his mouth na the lam dois quhen his throt is wndyr the knyf c1475 Wall. i 197.
To cutt his throit, or steik hym sodanlye a1500 K. Hart 331.
Ane courtlie cote … fast bukkillit to his throte c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 170.
The larbar lukis of thy lang lene craig, Thy pure pynit thrott, peilit and owt of ply 1513 Doug. vi iv 25.
Sum slevit knyvis in the bestis throtis 1533 Boece 122.
Euer as Romanis war dung downe thai suld cutt throttis and sla 1558-66 Knox II 361.
This day have I … done unto thame no less displeasur than that I had cutted thair throttis 1600 Crim. Trials II 296.
The king … gripid his throit with his left hand 1604 Crim. Trials II 449.
[He] grippit him be the thrott or waisen, quhilk he held fast ane lang tyme, quhill he wirreit himfig. 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 159/25.
Be the samyn argument I will cut ȝour throte with ȝour awin suorde

2. The passage inside the neck, leading from the mouth and nose to the gullet and windpipe; also, the channel or passage (for food, etc.) to the stomach. a1400 Leg. S. xx 344.
Quha-sa-euire in thare throt Seknes has, awne ore mot, [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1006.
A gret bane … rycht tyt In-til his throit clewit sa faste [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 420.
A dragon … tuk hyr in his mouth hale To suely hyr … Bot, as scho enterand was to pas The throt of that ful Sathanas, [etc.] c1420 Wynt. vi 203.
Off hys throt thai tyt owt qwyte Hys twng c1420 Wynt. vii 502.
That brede than he begouth till ete Bot owre hys throt it mycht noucht get 1494 Loutfut MS 22a.
And wit ȝe quhen thai [sc. cranes] move to pas thai fill thair throttis with sand c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 335.
Ȝit tuk I nevir the wosp clene out of my wyde throte Quhill I oucht wantit of my will c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 152/65.
Out of thair throttis thay schot on udder Hett moltin gold … Ay as thay tomit thame of schot, Feyndis fild thame new up to the thrott c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom. iii 13.
The throte of thame is an opin sepulture; with thar tonngis thai did gylefullie 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Curculio, the wesand of the throate c1600 Medical Recipes 87.
Taurus … regnis in the neck and in the trot 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 105.
Some take it [sc. tobacco] for the fashion, some for rheume, … Some for their pallet, in their warbling throt 1673 Red Bk. Grandtully II 213.
She takis it be fittis, for she will be four or fyve hours wery weill, then … it comes wp to her throatt and is lyk to chock her

b. To lie in (one's) throte, to tell gross lies, lie unashamedly. To gif the lie in his throt to (another), to ding (words) backuart in (another's) throt, to repudiate (another's) lie(s). 1568 Bk. Carlaverock I 550.
Gif ȝe have swa spokin, ȝe have said untrewlie, and thairin have leyit in ȝour throte, quhilk I will mantene … aganis ȝou — 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 158.
Thairwithall did [he] gif the lie in his throt to him that wald auow the quarrel c1590 J. Stewart 60/116.
I sould thois vords ding bakuart in thy throt

c. attrib. With steiper, one who soaks his throat (with alcohol), a drunkard. a1585 Polwart Flyt. 812 (T).
Swyne keiper, dirt dreiper, throt steiper fra the drowth

3. transf. a. The stomach. b. The mouth.a. 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1149.
The rauin began rudely to ruge and ryue, Full gormondlyke his emptie throte to feidb. 1549 Compl. 77/6.
Danyel, throucht his simplicite and meiknes, vas delyuerit fra the throttis of the lyons 1570 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II 38.
The said erle hearing me cry, bade his servant Alexander Ritchard put ane serviat in my throat

c. The throat as the site of the vocal organs, hence, the voice. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 106.
Thair hony throtis opnyt fro the splene With werblis suete did perse the hevinly skyes 1640 Lithgow Poet. Remains 251.
Mischief hung in thy face … With railing, swearing, cursing, boasting … yet one scapd, whom thy menacing throat Did spur away

4. transf. A narrow passage in or near the entrance to something. 1513 Doug. iii viii 38.
Than my fader … A mekil tankart with wyne fild to the throte 1558-66 Knox I 222.
First, in the throt of the Bow, war slane David Kirk, [etc.] a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1551 (Wr.).
So likewise doth this river flow Foorth of a pretty spring … Whose throat, sir, I wot, sir, You may stop with your neive c1600 Crim. Trials I i 135.
The revainger, awaiting him in the obscure and narrow throit quhair the ȝetis ar hung

5. fig. In the throt of the battell, ? in the teeth of the battle. c1600-1633 Johnston MS Hist. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 203 n.
[The queen] com to the throit of the Over Bow quhair Maister Hercules Rollok … maid his oresoun a1578 Pitsc. I 55/16.
Ane wther great part of the maist wallieȝand men in the throt of the battell slaine