What does ‘get cold feet’ mean?
To “get cold feet” means to lose the courage to act at the last moment. The idiom appears in English in the late 19th century, possibly translating a German expression; Brewer's 1898 does not record it, and no single origin is secure.
Origin
- The idiom appears in English in the late 19th century, possibly translating a German expression; Brewer's 1898 does not record it, and no single origin is secure.
How to use it
- Common about weddings, business deals, and public speaking.
- Example: He got cold feet the morning of the wedding.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.