From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishget/have cold feetget/have cold feetinformalBRAVE# to suddenly feel that you are not brave enough to do something you planned to do The plan failed after sponsors got cold feet. → cold
Examples from the Corpus
get/have cold feet• He and his neighbors bought a fire truck to protect their area, but the neighbors got cold feet.• Juicy, tender and sinfully rich, I immodestly enjoyed every one when my companion got cold feet.• Some are said to be getting cold feet.• They later got cold feet and canceled the order.• But the prince got cold feet and failed to turn up.• We are all tired, and have cold feet and hands.• He gets cold feet and phones his bank manager asking him to stop the cheque.• Unfortunately he, the lover, had got cold feet at the last minute.• I began to get cold feet, but these other two guys were totally positive and they were absolutely right. 