French
DeutschCold feet
Cold feet is a phrase that refers to a person not going through with an action, particularly one which requires long term commitment, due to fear, uncertainty, and doubt. A person is said to be "getting cold feet" when, after previously committing to a plan, they ultimately do not carry out the planned course of action.
Definitions (psychological)[edit]
- Apprehension or doubt strong enough to prevent a planned course of action.[1]
- A loss or lack of courage or confidence; an onset of uncertainty or fear.[2]
- To “have cold feet” is to be too fearful to undertake or complete an action.[3]
- A wave of timidity or fearfulness.[4]
- Loss or lack of courage or confidence.[5]
- Timidity that prevents the continuation of a course of action.[6]
Etymology[edit]
The origin of the term itself has been largely attributed to American author Stephen Crane, who added the phrase, in 1896, to the second edition of his short novel, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.[7][8] Crane writes, "I knew this was the way it would be. They got cold feet." The term is present in "Seed Time and Harvest" by Fritz Reuter published in 1862.[8][9][10] Kenneth McKenzie, a former professor of Italian at Princeton University attributed the first use of the phrase to the play Volpone produced by Ben Jonson in 1605.[8][9] The true origin and first usage of the phrase remains debated and unconfirmed as exemplified above.
Common uses[edit]
Marriage[edit]
A common use of the phrase is when people fear the commitment of marriage and get "cold feet" before a wedding ceremony.[11][12] This premarital doubt or fear may manifest for a variety of reasons and sometimes cause the bride or groom to back out of a planned marriage.[12][13] Original research on the "cold feet" phenomenon is very limited, but a four-year study conducted by UCLA researchers found feelings of premarital doubt or uncertainty about an impending marriage were associated with future marital problems and a viable predictor of divorce.[13][14]
References[edit]
- ^ "Cold feet - Definition". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ "Cold feet". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ "Cold feet definition". The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Spears, Richard. "cold feet". Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions. McGraw Hill. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ "Cold feet". Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.
- ^ "Cold feet". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Barnhart, David K. (1997). America in So Many Words: Words That Have Shaped America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 191. ISBN 0547563299.
- ^ a b c Engber, Daniel. "When Did We Get "Cold Feet"? The Germans had 'em first!". Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ a b Zoulas, Peter. "Take Our Word For It, Issue 77". Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ Reuter, Fritz. "Seed-time and Harvest". Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ Tony Mathews (2003), There's More Than One Color in the Pew, ISBN 9781573124157
- ^ a b Hutson, Matthew. "Brides and Grooms: Cold Feet". Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ a b "Bride's "Cold feet" May Predict Divorce". Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ^ Lavner, Justin; Benjamin Karney; Thomas Bradbury (2012). "Do Cold Feet Warn of Trouble Ahead? Premarital Uncertainty and Four-Year Marital Outcomes". Journal of Family Psychology. 26 (6): 1012–1017. doi:10.1037/a0029912. PMC 3525794. PMID 22946462.
External links[edit]
- "Expert Advice on Cold Feet" – Article from Brides Magazine
- "Cold Feet Common in Brides-to-Be" ABC News Good Morning America, May 1, 2005