English

Verb

froth at the mouth ‎(third-person singular simple present froths at the mouth, present participle frothing at the mouth, simple past and past participle frothed at the mouth)

1. To spew saliva as froth.
   • 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty, Chapter 23,

     the action of the sharp bit on my tongue and jaw, and the constrained position of my head and throat, always caused me to froth at the mouth more or less.

   • 1951, “Americana” in Time, 5 November, 1951,

     Within hours Atlanta's Grady Negro Clinic began to fill with men and women who panted, frothed at the mouth and writhed in horrible convulsions.

2. (figuratively) To rage, vent one's anger.
   • 1977, Richard Adams, The Plague Dogs, New York: Ballantine Books, Chapter 1, p. 37,

     “Damn the Whitecoats!” cried Snitter, frothing at the mouth. “Damn Annie, damn the policeman and the white bell-car! Damn you all, damn you! You've killed my master!”

   She was almost frothing at the mouth when she heard about the cost of the car repairs.

Synonyms

• foam at the mouth