Cold feet
Meaning
To have cold feet means to feel nervous or hesitant about a significant commitment or event.
Origin
Imagine a high-stakes poker game in a dimly lit 19th-century saloon. As the pot swelled and the pressure mounted, a player, suddenly gripped by fear of losing everything, might declare, "I've got cold feet!" This was a literal complaint about physical discomfort from prolonged sitting, but it served as a convenient and face-saving excuse to back out of a game when one lost their nerve. This clever evasion, blending physical sensation with emotional reluctance, quickly transcended the card table, becoming a universal expression for any significant commitment where one's courage suddenly falters.
Examples
- She was so excited about the wedding, but as the big day approached, she started getting cold feet.
- After accepting the challenging new job offer, he suddenly got cold feet about leaving his comfortable old position.