expression, godan verb (-u)
be flustered; lose one's head; panic
Idiomatic expression meaning to be so surprised or upset that one cannot think clearly; often used when someone panics in an emergency.
火事を見て泡を食って逃げ出した。
Seeing the fire, he panicked and ran away.
突然の質問に泡を食って何も答えられなかった。
I was so flustered by the sudden question that I couldn't answer anything.