Pull someone's leg

[0381] Cold feet

🎲 Itchy feet
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • A feeling of nervousness, doubt, or hesitation that makes someone reluctant to proceed with a significant planned event or commitment, most famously a wedding.

Origin

Uncertain. Theories include:

  • Soldiers lacking proper boots being unwilling to fight ('cold feet' = unprepared/scared).
  • Poker players low on funds ('cold') folding or withdrawing.

The strong association with pre-wedding nerves became common in the late 19th/early 20th century.

    It implies a loss of courage or confidence right before taking a big step.

      Synonyms & Related Expressions

      • Second thoughts
      • Hesitation / Hesitancy
      • Apprehension / Trepidation
      • Butterflies (in one's stomach) (General nervousness, doesn't necessarily imply backing out)
      • Lose one's nerve
      • Pre-wedding jitters (Specifically for weddings)

      Alternatives

      Slang/Informal:

      • Chickened out (Implies backing out due to fear, stronger than cold feet)
      • Wimped out / Pussied out (Vulgar, similar to chickened out, implies cowardice)
      • Got the jitters (General nervousness)
      • Freaking out (More intense anxiety/panic)
      • Bailed (Decided not to do something last minute)

      More Formal:

      • Developed reservations
      • Experienced apprehension
      • Began to waver / hesitate
      • Had second thoughts

      Situational Appropriateness

      • Informal to neutral.
      • Can be used in personal conversations and also in business or financial contexts (e.g., The investors got cold feet).

      Misunderstanding Warnings

      • Needs clear distinction from literally having cold feet (low body temperature). Context (a big decision or event) usually makes the meaning obvious.

      Examples

      • The bride reportedly got cold feet and called off the wedding.
      • I was about to sign the contract, but I got cold feet about the long commitment.
      • It's normal to get cold feet before making a major life change like moving abroad.

      Dialogue

      Friend 1: Hey, how's Mark doing? The wedding is just days away!

      Friend 2: Actually, he called me last night sounding really stressed. I think he might be getting cold feet.

      Friend 1: Seriously? Oh wow. Is it about Sarah, or just the pressure?

      Friend 2: A bit of both, maybe? He just sounded very uncertain all of a sudden.

      Social Media Examples

      • Wedding Forum Post: HELP! My fiancé admitted he's getting cold feet. Is this normal nerves or a red flag? #weddingplanning #coldfeet #relationshipadvice
      • Tweet: Was SO ready to quit my job and freelance full-time... but suddenly got cold feet. The stability is hard to give up! 😬 #careerchange #anxiety
      • News Headline: Market Volatility Causes Investors to Get Cold Feet on New Stock Offerings

      Response Patterns

      • (If someone confides they have it): Are you having second thoughts? / What are you most worried about? / It's okay to be nervous. / Maybe you should talk it through more.
      • (If hearing about someone else): Oh no, really? / What happened? / Do you think they'll go through with it?

      Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

      • Exploring the specific reasons for the nervousness (What part is making you hesitate?).
      • Offering reassurance, perspective, or advice.
      • Discussing the potential consequences of proceeding versus backing out.

      Conversation Starter

      • No. Describes a state of mind concerning a specific upcoming commitment.

      Intonation

      • Stress usually on COLD and FEET.
      • She got COLD FEET.

      Generation Differences

      • Widely understood and used across generations.

      Regional Variations

      • Common in all major English-speaking regions.
      Pull someone's leg
      🎲 Itchy feet