a frog in throat

a frog in (one's) throat

1. Difficulty speaking because of hoarseness or the need to cough or clear one's throat. This cold has left him with such a frog in his throat that he can barely talk! Ahem! Please excuse the frog in my throat. I suffer from seasonal allergies. Boy do I have a frog in my throat this morning! Sorry you've had to listen to nothing but throat-clearing throughout this entire phone call.

2. An inability to speak owing to some overwhelming emotion, especially fear. A: "Elise couldn't say a word in the meeting and looked completely terrified." B: "Sounds like she had a frog in her throat." I looked out at the audience staring up at me, and I tried to swallow the frog in my throat. No, I didn't sign up for the talent show because I always get a frog in my throat when I'm on stage.

See also: frog, throat

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

*a frog in one's throat

Fig. a feeling of hoarseness or a lump in one's throat. (Often regarded as a sign of fear. *Typically: get ~; have ~.) I feel like I'm getting a frog in my throat when I have to speak in public. She says she gets a frog in her throat when she is nervous.

See also: frog, throat

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.