Get cold feet — To suddenly lose confidence and become nervous or hesitant about something you had previously planned or agreed to do, often causing you to back out or delay at the last moment. Literal: feet that are physically cold. Figurative: a sudden failure of nerve before an important commitment or action.
Origin & History
The origins of this idiom are disputed. One theory points to Ben Jonson's 1605 play Volpone, in which a character uses cold feet as an excuse to avoid a difficult situation — an early example of feigned hesitation. Another theory traces the phrase to a 17th-century Italian proverb that described a soldier who wanted to retreat because his feet were cold in winter, using physical discomfort as a metaphor for loss of courage.
The phrase became firmly established in American English during the late 19th century, appearing in popular fiction and journalism by the 1890s. From there it spread across all English-speaking countries and is now a universal part of everyday spoken language.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| She had been planning to ask for a promotion for months, but she got cold feet at the last minute. | Workplace, professional ambition |
| He got cold feet just days before the wedding and called off the engagement. | Personal relationship, major life decision |
| They were about to sign the contract when their investor got cold feet and pulled out of the deal. | Business negotiation |
| I had cold feet before my first bungee jump, but once I leapt I was glad I did it. | Adventure activity, overcoming fear |
How to Use It
The idiom works as a verb phrase: get cold feet, got cold feet, getting cold feet. You can also use the noun form: a case of cold feet. It is informal to neutral — appropriate in everyday speech, personal writing, and business conversation, but out of place in formal documents. Use it to describe last-minute hesitation before a commitment, not general long-standing anxiety.
Common Mistakes
Mistakes to Avoid
She always gets cold feets before big presentations.
She always gets cold feet before big presentations. — 'Feet' is already plural; never add -s.
He got cold feet because the weather was freezing.
He hesitated because the weather was freezing. — 'Get cold feet' is figurative; do not use it to describe literal physical coldness.
She cold-footed the deal at the last second.
She got cold feet about the deal at the last second. — There is no verb form 'to cold-foot'; always use 'get cold feet'.
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