临阵退缩

tā dǎ suàn cān jiā shì wēi dàn zhī hòu lín zhèn tuì suō le

他打算参加示威，但之后临阵退缩了。

He planned to participate in the demonstration, but then he got cold feet.

wǒ běn lái yào qù cān jiā yī chǎng bǐ sài dàn wǒ zài zuì hòu yī fēn zhōng lín zhèn tuì suō

我本来要去参加一场比赛，但我在最后一分钟临阵退缩。

I was going to enter a contest, but I bottled out at the last minute.

tā miàn duì jié hūn lín zhèn tuì suō le

她面对结婚临阵退缩了。

She got cold feet about the marriage.