3 new to me idioms

[forum_mail]

Hey there! Thanks for looking at my post.

I've been learning some new idioms recently, and here are my questions concerning them, and some sentences with them. Could you correct me, and answer my questions?

1. to steal the show

a) Jack Nicholson stole the show in Batman. (question: is it possible to use this idiom as far as idioms are concerned? question2: would it be better to use here the pres. perfect?)
b) Slash is the one who always steals the show at Guns & Roses gigs (question: is "at" ok here?)
c) She's stolen the show (doubt: I can't come up with a situation in which we would use this idiom in the present perfect)

2. to pull sb's leg

a) Oh come off it! Stop pulling my leg and tell me the truth! (OK?)
b) She has pulled my leg again! (OK?)
c) Hey guys, listen, why don't we pull Jim's leg (and play a joke on him) ? It's gonna be fun! (OK?)

3. to foam at the mouth

a) He has been foaming at the mouth for the whole evening (doubt: I'm not sure if the use of the present perfect cont. is appropriate here)
b) He foamed at the mouth when his wife told him that she had been cheating on him. (VS He was foaming at the mouth, or VS has foamed at the mouth)
c) What did your dad say to this? He was foaming at the mouth when I told him (VS He foamed at the mouth)

MAIN QUESTION: Are the above-written sentences perfectly OK, and how often do you use the above-mentioned idioms?

thanks in advance,

best wishes,

[Anglika]

Originally Posted by forum_mail

Hey there! Thanks for looking at my post.

I've been learning some new idioms recently, and here are my questions concerning them, and some sentences with them. Could you correct me, and answer my questions?

1. to steal the show

a) Jack Nicholson stole the show in Batman. (question: is it possible to use this idiom as far as idioms are concerned? question2: would it be better to use here the pres. perfect?) It is the perfect use of the idiom, and either present or past can be used.
b) Slash is the one who always steals the show at Guns & Roses gigs (question: is "at" ok here?) Yes.
c) She's stolen the show (doubt: I can't come up with a situation in which we would use this idiom in the present perfect) "Madonna is quite amazing! At the age of 50, she has stolen the show. No one else on the stage could match her for energy and professionalism."

2. to pull sb's leg

a) Oh come off it! Stop pulling my leg and tell me the truth! (OK?)
b) She has pulled my leg again! (OK?)
c) Hey guys, listen, why don't we pull Jim's leg (and play a joke on him) ? It's gonna be fun! (OK?) Yes, but you would be more likely to say "Hey, guys, let's pull Jim's leg..."

3. to foam at the mouth

a) He has been foaming at the mouth for the whole evening (doubt: I'm not sure if the use of the present perfect cont. is appropriate here) It's somewhat over the top - to "foam at the mouth" means to be in an extreme rage, and to be in this state for a whole evening is unlikely. It is the sort of statement made when someone wants to exaggerate a situation.
b) He foamed at the mouth when his wife told him that she had been cheating on him. (VS He was foaming at the mouth, or VS has foamed at the mouth) Neither of these would make sense.
c) What did your dad say to this? He was foaming at the mouth when I told him (VS He foamed at the mouth) An alternative way to say it.

MAIN QUESTION: Are the above-written sentences perfectly OK, and how often do you use the above-mentioned idioms? Comments made above.

Would use the idioms when and as relevant. There is no way to quantify this kind of use.

thanks in advance,

best wishes,

.