Have you ever heard the idiom ‘get cold feet’?
This idiom means to suddenly feel too scared to do something you planned to do. It is usually used for important things like getting married, changing jobs, or going on a big trip.
Some people also say ‘have cold feet’.
Be careful, for this idiom, always use the plural noun ‘feet’ (not the singular noun ‘foot’).
CORRECT: He got cold feet.
INCORRECT: He got a cold foot.
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Here are some examples of ‘get cold feet’
John was going to ask Mary out for dinner but he got cold feet and said nothing.
Sally got cold feet about going on the trip to Europe alone.
I’m not sure if Peter is going to buy the new house, I think he’s starting to get cold feet.
So, when did you ‘get cold feet’ about something?
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Extra tip! The idiom ‘have second thoughts’ has a similar meaning to ‘get cold feet’. But this idiom means to think again about something you were planning to do. Maybe it is because you are scared to do it, or maybe it is because you think it’s the wrong thing to do. For example, Jack was having second thoughts about quitting his job. |
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