Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sudden loss of nerve or confidence; timidity that prevents the continuation of a course of action: A state of fear, anxiety, or doubt that makes someone unwilling to proceed with a planned or promised action, especially a significant one.

Usage

• Cold feet is an uncountable noun phrase. It is almost always used with the verb "get" or "have" to describe the state of feeling nervous.
• The phrase is typically used in informal contexts to explain why someone withdrew from a commitment.
• Structure:

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "to give someone cold feet": to cause someone to feel nervous and reconsider their decision.
  • All the talk about the risks gave him cold feet about the investment.

Variants and Related Words

• Cold-footed (adj, rare): Characterized by or experiencing cold feet.
  • The cold-footed investor pulled out of the deal.

Synonyms

• Cold feet is an idiom. Its meaning can be described by phrases like:
  • Loss of nerve: A failure of courage.
  • Second thoughts: Doubts about a decision one has made.
  • Cold feet is more specific than "fear" or "anxiety," as it implies a direct link to abandoning a plan.

Related Idioms

• To get/have butterflies in one's stomach: To feel nervous, but this does not necessarily imply backing out of a plan.
  • She had butterflies before her performance, but she didn't get cold feet.
• To chicken out (informal, verb): To decide not to do something because of fear. This is a more direct and informal synonym for the action resulting from cold feet.
  • He chickened out of the bungee jump. (This implies he got cold feet.)

Noun

1. timidity that prevents the continuation of a course of action
   • I was going to tell him but I got cold feet