pull a heart muscle v. phr. to withdraw, back out, or retreat from a competition, conflict, or obligation; to chicken out. Editorial Note: To pull a heart muscle is similar to having tiny heart syndrome. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, listener has been pondering the saying It’s an ill wind that blows nobody good, and specifically whether she uses it correctly. The expression usually appears as It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good...
Why does the term vegetarian cause so much confusion? Some people assume it means avoiding red meat but still eating chicken. And is there a term for a vegetarian who also eats fish and poultry? Plus, screwball comedies from the 1930s mix slapstick...