have (one's) words stick in (one's) throat
To be unable to say something, due to one's emotional state. I'm still mad at John, so even though he wanted me to apologize, I had my words stick in my throat. Susie was crying so hard at the funeral that when she tried to speak, she had her words stick in her throat.
have one's words stick in one's throat
Fig. to be so overcome by emotion that one can hardly speak. I sometimes have my words stick in my throat. John said that he never had his words stick in his throat.