What it means
To get cold feet is to suddenly lose your nerve and want to back out, usually right before the big moment. Weddings, first dates, job interviews, jumping off something tall, same vibe. Your toes can be roasting, it’s still cold feet. It’s basically courage doing a runner when commitment gets real.
Usage examples
"I nearly got cold feet before the interview, but my mate dragged me in, said stop faffing and just have a go."
"He was all set to invest, then got cold feet at the last minute."
"She nearly signed up for the marathon but got cold feet."
"I was gonna ask her out, had the whole speech loaded, then got cold feet and started chatting about the weather like a clown."
"They'd booked the tattoo and everything, then he got cold feet outside the studio and said maybe next month, mate."
Where it comes from
This one’s got a paper trail. It shows up in late 19th century English, with an early boost from a German novel translated into English where a character gets "cold feet" and loses nerve. Since then it settled into everyday English for that last second wobble when bravery suddenly packs its bags.
Editors of this term
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.