idiom · informal
get cold feet
UK/ˈɡet kəʊld fiːt/US/ˈɡet koʊld fiːt/get·cold·FEET
to become nervous or afraid to do something you had planned to do
Examples
“I was ready to agree to the exchange programme, but I got cold feet when I thought about leaving my family.”
“She almost signed the contract but got cold feet at the last minute.”
“He wanted to ask her out but got cold feet and didn't call.”
Band 8 sentence
“I knew the trip would be a great opportunity, but I still got cold feet and almost cancelled.”
Collocations
- get cold feet about
- suddenly get cold feet
Word family
Common mistakes
I get cold feet to do the interview.→I got cold feet about doing the interview.
Say it for a higher band
5be afraid→6have second thoughts→7+get cold feet
Synonyms
have second thoughts
Easily confused
have second thoughts
“I had second thoughts about accepting the job offer.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Emotions
Learn it with its set