chicken out臨陣退縮。在英文中，雞有很多種說法，例如：公雞是rooster，母雞則是hen，而chicken指的是剛出生不久的小雞。後來chicken被沿用來形容經驗不足的年輕人因為怕犯錯而怯懦，chicken out則是比喻「因為害怕而臨陣脫逃」。
看看老外聊天時怎麼用chicken out：
Amy: I heard that you got engaged.
Jack: I was, but we split up.
Amy: I am sorry to hear that. What appened?
Jack: It was my bad. I wasn't sure if I really wanted a family, so l chickened out.
Amy: Well, maybe it's better to find out sooner than later.
艾米：我聽說你訂婚了。
傑克：曾經是，但我們分開了。
艾米：我很遺憾，發生什麼事了嗎？
傑克：是我的錯，我不確定自己是否想成家，所以臨陣退縮了。
艾米：也許早點發覺會更好。
chicken out例句精選：
I'm afraid he'll chicken out when we really start to do it.
我擔心在我們真動手幹的時候他會害怕而退出。
Given this tension, it is no wonder that some people chicken out entirely.
鑑於這種緊張關係，無怪乎有些人會因膽怯而徹底放棄歡送會。
The band couldn't perform because the singer chickened out backstage.
這個樂團不能表演，因為主唱在後臺臨陣退縮了。
Karen：I heard Johnny just quit the research team.
Henry：Really？I can't believe he chickened out
卡倫：我聽說約翰尼剛剛退出研究小組了。
亨利：真的嗎？真不敢相信他臨陣退縮了。
拓展學習：
timidity 膽怯
agitation 不安
anxious 影焦慮的
surrender 放棄
cop out 逃避
pull out 退出
draw in one's horns 打退堂鼓
strive for 爭取