bottle out

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bottle out (third-person singular simple present bottles out, present participle bottling out, simple past and past participle bottled out)

1. (UK, informal) To fail to perform a promised or planned action due to lack of courage or nerve; to run away or back down from a contest or challenge.

   Synonyms: bottle it, lose one's nerve, get cold feet

   I had really wanted to dive off the 10-metre platform, but in the end I bottled out.

• chicken out