foam from the mouth

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrasemedical

   When someone foams from the mouth, white bubbles come out of their mouth because of a serious illness or seizure.

   Grammar: Used as a verb phrase: the subject is the person or animal, and 'from the mouth' is a fixed prepositional phrase.

   Patterns

   • someone foams from the mouth
   • foam from the mouth (as a noun phrase)

   The dog suddenly began to foam from the mouth, so we rushed it to the vet.

   In severe cases of rabies, the patient may foam from the mouth and have difficulty swallowing.

   The paramedics saw that the man was foaming from the mouth and knew he was having a seizure.

2. 2phrasefixed phrasefigurative

   Figuratively, to foam from the mouth means to show extreme anger or excitement, as if out of control.

   Grammar: Often used in continuous tenses: 'He was foaming from the mouth with rage.'

   Patterns

   • foam from the mouth with rage
   • be foaming from the mouth

   The coach was foaming from the mouth after the referee made that decision.

   She foamed from the mouth when she saw the mess her children had made.

Common combinations

foam from the mouth

The sick animal was foaming from the mouth.

begin to foam from the mouth

He began to foam from the mouth during the seizure.

foam from the mouth with rage

She was foaming from the mouth with rage after the argument.

foam from the mouth (as a symptom)

Foaming from the mouth is a symptom of several serious conditions.

Synonyms and how they differ

foam at the mouth

This is the more common variant, especially for figurative anger; it can also mean the literal medical sign.

froth at the mouth

Similar but 'froth' often suggests lighter, more bubbly saliva; less common in medical contexts.

Commonly confused: foam from the mouth or foam at the mouth?

Practice

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