retreat, pull back, back out, back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull in one's horns, withdraw(verb)

make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity

"We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him"; "He backed out of his earlier promise"; "The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns"

back away(Verb)

To move in a direction opposite where one is facing, keeping some (or most) of your attention on the thing in front being avoided.