English · Emotions & Feelings
get cold feet
/ɡet kəʊld fiːt/
[/ɡet kəʊld fiːt/]
lose nerve
Intermediatephrase
Definition
To suddenly become too nervous to do something you had planned.
Example
He got cold feet just before the wedding, but his best man talked him through the nerves.
He got cold feet just before the wedding, but his best man talked him through the nerves.
Etymology
A late 19th-century phrase, possibly from gamblers or soldiers losing nerve, popularised by Stephen Crane.
How & Where It’s Used
Common for losing courage before a big commitment.