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get cold feet
[/ɡɛt koʊld fit/]
verb phrase
ficar com medo/receio; desistir no último momento
1.
to become nervous or anxious about something you were previously committed to doing
He was going to propose to his girlfriend, but he got cold feet at the last moment.
Ele ia pedir sua namorada em casamento, mas ficou com medo no último momento.
2.
to lose one's courage or confidence about a planned action
She was ready to quit her job, but she got cold feet when she thought about the consequences.
Ela estava pronta para deixar seu emprego, mas ficou com receio quando pensou nas consequências.
NYC Slang
chicken out; lose your nerve
Synonyms
lose nerve
back out
chicken out
have second thoughts
hesitate
Antonyms
go through with
follow through
stand firm
persevere
Regional Variations
General Brazilian
ficar com medo; desistir no último momento
most common usage
Rio de Janeiro
ficar com receio; virar para trás
colloquial variation
São Paulo
ficar com medo; recuar
standard urban usage
Portugal
ficar com medo; ter calafrios
literal translation also used
Related Idioms & Phrases
have second thoughts
lose one's nerve
back down
get the jitters
lose your bottle (British)
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