Foaming at the mouth

Posted by Word Camel on December 19, 2003

In Reply to: Foaming at the mouth posted by Sax on December 19, 2003

: Can you please tell me what this means and where it came from? Thank you - Sax. PS: My mom said it's sometimes called foaming at the bit, too, from horses.

I think it's a reference to mad (rabid) dogs. They foam at the mouth and the expression means to be crazed, usually with anger. "My sister was foaming at the mouth when she heard Farscape was cancelled."

I've not heard 'foaming' at the bit, but I've heard 'chomping' at the bit. Horses may foam but I think it would have an altogether different connotation.

• Foaming at the mouth ESC 19/December/03
  • Foaming at the mouth kk 20/December/03