Foam at the Mouth – Meaning, Origin & Usage
The phrase ‘foam at the mouth’ isn’t always meant literally, which can often cause confusion. But don’t worry, if that’s where the phrase has left you, you’ve certainly come to the right place.
In this article we will be discussing what the phrase means and how it may have originated. We will also cover how and when to best use the phrase, as well as going through several examples of alternative phrases that you could otherwise choose to use in its place. By the end of the article, you’re sure to feel like an expert on the subject.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
What is the meaning of the phrase ‘foam at the mouth’?
The phrases ‘foam at the mouth’ and ‘foaming at the mouth’ are often used to describe someone who is very, very angry. Usually when they are angry at someone or something other than themselves.
The phrase came to mean ‘very angry’ because foaming at the mouth is long known to be seen as a common consequence of someone feeling particularly angry.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘foam at the mouth’?
We know that the phrases ‘foam at the mouth’ and ‘foaming at the mouth are particularly old phrases that date back to at least the first millennium AD. This is because the phrase appears in the Lindisfarne Gospels, which were published in 950 AD, where it was referenced as ‘Spumat faeme’ in Old English.
It has also been seen in Middle English, including within one of Shakespeare’s plays, specifically Julius Caesar, published in the year 1601, where it is written:
”He [Caesar] fell down in the market-place, and foamed at mouth, and was speechless.”
If someone is very angry, their emotional state can cause them to produce increased saliva in their mouth, and they may even begin to foam at the mouth during an argument, and spittle when they speak. This is why the term ‘foam at the mouth’ began to be used as an idiom for someone being very angry.
The phrase ‘foam at the mouth’ also has connotations of rabid animals on the attack, since their condition also causes foaming at the mouth.
How and when should you use the phrase ‘foam at the mouth’?
The phrases ‘foam at the mouth’ and ‘foaming at the mouth’ are often used in personal circumstances rather than in professional circumstances, since displays of anger are rarely appropriate in the workplace unless there has been significant wrongdoing.
The phrases could be used as a warning, or they could be used as a descriptor to explain how someone reacted to a particular incident or circumstance.
For example, someone might say ‘I don’t recommend telling him that – you’ll see him foam at the mouth’. Alternatively, you might hear someone say something along the lines of ‘I’m glad it wasn’t me he was angry at – you should have seen him foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog’. Or there’s ‘If [someone} says/does anything like that you will see me foam at the mouth’.
What are some other ways of saying ‘foam at the mouth’?
You might feel that the phrase ‘foam at the mouth’ might be inappropriate to use on some occasions because of its connotations of rabid animals. And if so, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are many words and phrases that you can use in its place. Here follows some examples for you to consider and adapt according to the circumstances.
- I/he/she/they was very very angry.
- I/he/she/they was like a rabid dog.
- I’ve never seen someone so angry.
- He/she said that they’ve never seen someone so angry.
- He/she/they went at him/her/them like a madman.
- He/she/they make/s my blood boil.
- He/she/they spouted vitriol like noone I know.
- He/she/they shouted and cursed at me.
- His/her/their hatred was palpable.
Final word
So to sum up, beyond its meaning in a literal sense, the phrase ‘foam at the mouth’ can also be used as an idiom and as a metaphor. In this instance, it refers to someone being particularly angry.
Since the phrase is derived from the appearance of someone who is so angry that they produce additional saliva to the point that they begin to foam at the mouth. The phrase isn’t a nice one, since it has connotations of the appearance of dangerous rabid animals. So it’s often considered more polite to use alternative phrases instead, as were discussed earlier.
