# yank someone's chain

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/yank-someones-chain
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting.

## Examples

- Don't worry, he is just yanking your chain.
- I thought I had won the lottery, but my friend was just yanking my chain.
- The manager enjoyed yanking his employees' chains by suggesting a pay cut, only to reveal it was a joke.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.