cold feet

plural noun

: apprehension or doubt strong enough to prevent a planned course of action

Examples of cold feet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Other symptoms—like cold hands, cold feet, and pale skin—could easily be attributed to climate, lifestyle, or weather. Christina Pérez, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2024 Republicans, meanwhile, said that some Democrats had cold feet over a provision dealing with immigration. Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025 This poll likewise found that Americans get cold feet about deportations when families are at risk of being separated. Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025 Analysts noted the downgrade and wondered if Trump was getting cold feet about getting into a trade war. Tobias Burns, The Hill, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cold feet

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cold feet was in 1893

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Cite this Entry

“Cold feet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20feet. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

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