get cold feet
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To suddenly become too nervous to do something planned.
Register: neutral
Sources & notes
Curated everyday-idiom list, site editorial 2026-07-30.
Common questions
What does “get cold feet” mean?
To suddenly become too nervous to do something planned.
Is “get cold feet” formal or informal?
get cold feet is generally neutral.