get cold feet

get cold feet

To experience nervousness or anxiety before one attempts to do something. I wasn't nervous until the morning of my wedding, but everyone assured me that I had just gotten cold feet. Good luck getting her out on stage—she always gets cold feet before a performance.

See also: cold, feet, get

get cold feet

or

have cold feet

COMMON If you get cold feet or have cold feet about something you have planned to do, you become nervous about it and not sure that you want to do it. My boyfriend got cold feet about being in a committed relationship. Leaving Ireland wasn't easy and I had cold feet about it a couple of times.

See also: cold, feet, get

get/have cold ˈfeet

(informal) no longer want to continue what you intended or have started to do because you are nervous or afraid: Do you still want to do this parachute jump or are you getting cold feet? OPPOSITE: take the plunge

See also: cold, feet, get, have