chicken out

British  

verb

1. informal (intr, adverb) to fail to do something through fear or lack of conviction

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chicken out Idioms  

1. Back out from fear, lose one's nerve, as in In the end I chickened out and took the easier route down the mountain. Chicken is a popular synonym for “cowardly,” a usage arising in the 1600s and 1700s but then apparently abandoned until the 20th century. [Slang; c. 1930]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chicken out

I've just pulled some sliced chicken out of the fridge, as I set out to make up some sandwiches.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2023

“We gave them the freedom to finish it, and not cop out. We didn’t want to chicken out of anything.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2022

And now Chelsi Stone is glad she didn’t chicken out.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 16, 2022

I’m at my most powerful the moment I pull a perfect roast chicken out of the oven, and little makes me happier than sending my friends home full.

From New York Times ● Oct. 13, 2021

I choose a Mozart piece that Grandpa used to like, turn the volume way down, and press the Play button before I can chicken out.

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass