Get cold feet

Context #1


Alicia: When are we going to get a new car?
Brian: I don’t know. We can’t afford it now that you’ve stopped work.
Alicia: Did you talk to your boss today?
Brian: Yes.
Alicia: Did you ask him for a promotion? 
Brian: Well…
Alicia: Oh, Brian, you promised!
Brian: I didn’t promise…
Alicia: Yes, you did. You were going to tell him you’d leave if he didn’t give you a pay raise.
Brian: Well that wouldn’t do much good, would it? If I ended up losing my job we’d have no money, at all.
Alicia: Oh, come on, stop making excuses. You didn’t say anything because you got cold feet again. No courage, that’s your trouble.



Context #2

Jessica: How are you feeling about the wedding?
Paula: I am starting to get nervous. This is such a big change.
Jessica: Everyone gets cold feet before marriage. They important thing to remember is that you love him.
Paula: That’s true. I do love him. Thank you for the encouragement.
Meaning: In the context 1, he was going to ask for a pay rise, but he got scared. In the context 2, Paula was afraid to compromise herself in the marriage.

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