CHICKEN OUT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does chicken out mean? 

• CHICKEN OUT (verb)
  The verb CHICKEN OUT has 1 sense:

1. remove oneself from an obligation

  Familiarity information: CHICKEN OUT used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CHICKEN OUT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Remove oneself from an obligation

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

back down; back off; bow out; chicken out; pull out

Context example:

He bowed out when he heard how much work was involved

Hypernyms (to "chicken out" is one way to...):

retire; withdraw (lose interest)

Verb group:

get out; pull out (move out or away)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "chicken out"):

resile (pull out from an agreement, contract, statement, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

He was a blessing to all the juvenile part of the neighbourhood, for in summer he was for ever forming parties to eat cold ham and chicken out of doors, and in winter his private balls were numerous enough for any young lady who was not suffering under the unsatiable appetite of fifteen.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)