While it originally described lacking the courage to gamble, the phrase evolved in the 20th century to specifically denote sudden hesitation before marriage.

In stressful situations, adrenaline constricts blood vessels in your extremities to prioritize oxygen delivery to your larger muscles for physical survival.

In the film Runaway Bride, Julia Roberts plays a woman who leaves three different grooms at the altar, prompting a journalist to investigate her escapes.

The idiom stems from the physical act of turning your back to someone, serving as a clear nonverbal signal that they are unwelcome and will receive no attention.