diff --git a/underscore.js b/underscore.js
index ab4c26094..60cf2ca8c 100644
--- a/underscore.js
+++ b/underscore.js
@@ -523,18 +523,18 @@
   // Returns a function, that, when invoked, will only be triggered at most once
   // during a given window of time.
   _.throttle = function(func, wait) {
-    var timeout, context, args, throttling, finishThrottle;
-    finishThrottle = _.debounce(function(){ throttling = false; }, wait);
+    var context, args, timeout, throttling;
+    var whenDone = _.debounce(function(){ throttling = false; }, wait);
     return function() {
       context = this; args = arguments;
-      var throttler = function() {
+      var later = function() {
         timeout = null;
         func.apply(context, args);
-        finishThrottle();
+        whenDone();
       };
-      if (!timeout) timeout = setTimeout(throttler, wait);
+      if (!timeout) timeout = setTimeout(later, wait);
       if (!throttling) func.apply(context, args);
-      if (finishThrottle) finishThrottle();
+      whenDone();
       throttling = true;
     };
   };
@@ -546,12 +546,12 @@
     var timeout;
     return function() {
       var context = this, args = arguments;
-      var throttler = function() {
+      var later = function() {
         timeout = null;
         func.apply(context, args);
       };
       clearTimeout(timeout);
-      timeout = setTimeout(throttler, wait);
+      timeout = setTimeout(later, wait);
     };
   };