pull someone's leg
To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implies teasing or goading by jokingly lying.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Don't get angry; I am only pulling your leg.”
“You are pulling my leg about the surprise party, aren't you?”
“He told me that we had to work on Saturday, but he was just pulling my leg to see my reaction.”
“My sister loves to pull my leg by claiming she won the lottery, but I never believe her anymore because she does it every week.”
“The tour guide was pulling the tourists' legs when he told them that the local squirrels could speak three different languages.”
“The veteran reporter enjoyed pulling the intern's leg by inventing ridiculous stories about the company's history, laughing when the young man believed every word.”
The phrase originates in Scotland, where it initially described the act of making a fool of a person, frequently by means of cheating them.
One theory suggests the expression derives from the physical act of yanking or pulling a person’s leg to cause them to stumble. The intention was to make the victim appear foolish by causing a loss of balance.
- 01
an arm and a leg
Usually used after the verb cost, but also often charge, pay, and spend: a very high price for an item or service; an exorbitant price
- 02
another nail in someone's coffin
An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.
- 03
answer someone's prayers
To be or do exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.
- 04
answer to someone's prayers
Exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.
- 05
apple of someone's eye
The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.
- 06
bane of someone's existence
Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.
- 07
bash someone's face in
To beat someone violently.
- 08
bash someone's head
To beat up someone violently.
Last updated August 10, 2026