chickening out
Backing down fearfully
Chickening out is backing down from something due to fear or loss of nerve.
The phrase draws on the chicken's reputation for timidity.
You can chicken out of a confrontation, a commitment, or a risky activity: He was going to ask her out but chickened out at the last minute.
The noun form is chicken: Don't be a chicken.
- cowardiceAbsence of bravery
- yellow bellySlang for coward
- timidityFearful lack of courage
- cold feetPre-event loss of confidence
- yellownessState of being golden-hued
white feather · scared · running scared · backing down · wimpiness · wimping out · fear · losing nerve · retreat · turning tail · avoidance · abandoning · hesitation · bailing · apprehension · dodging · surrendering · evasion
- cowardicecoward, cowardly, craven, gutless, spineless
- slang behaviorsgoofing off, messing around, fooling around, horsing around, slacking
- surrendersurrender, surrenders, surrendering, I surrender, capitulate
chickening outstepping up
Assuming more responsibility
taking the plunge · biting the bullet · manning up · rising to the occasion · pressing on
chickening outsticking with it
standing one's ground · persevering · doubling down · holding firm
chicken, chickening, chickened, chickens, outing, outings, outward