chicken out
Abandon your courage
To chicken out is to lose nerve and abandon a plan or commitment out of fear.
The verb captures the moment of backing down: I was going to ask her out, but I chickened out at the last second.
Someone who chickens out is called a chicken—a coward.
- back downWithdraw from a stance
- back outWithdraw from commitment
- get cold feetSuddenly fear proceeding
- cop outEvade a commitment
- pull outTo withdraw or leave
bow out · wimp out · bottle it · cowardice · retreat · turn tail · withdraw · timidity · flee · have second thoughts · reluctance · tremble · cold sweat · sweat · throw in the towel · white flag · panic · insecurity
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- bird expressionsearly bird, birdbrain, bird brain, lovebirds, jailbird
- food idiomspiece of cake, bread winner, low-hanging fruit, cool as a cucumber, bad egg
- animal expressionslet sleeping dogs lie, raining cats and dogs, curiosity killed cat, horse sense, wild goose chase
- farm idiomsmake hay while the sun shines, cream of the crop, put the cart before the horse, till the cows come home, buy the farm
- reversalsreverse, undo, revert, overturn, flip
chicken outman up
Embrace toughness, colloquially
take the plunge · bite the bullet · screw up one's courage · stand one's ground · steel oneself
chicken outfollow through
Complete an intended action
see it through · stick to one's guns · stay the course · carry through · deliver
chicken outfollow through
Complete an intended action
see it through · carry through · go ahead · press on · push through
chicken, chickens, chickened, chickenpox, chickening, chicken-hearted, chickadee, chicken-livered, chicken liver