English Explanatory Dictionary

pull someone's leg

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting. It usually implies teasing or goading by jokingly lying.
  2. To extract money from someone (by taking out a loan or by swindling).

Pronunciation

En-au-pull someone's leg.ogg

Word forms

pull someone's leg pulls someone's leg pulling someone's leg pulled someone's leg

Etymology

The phrase from Scotland originally meant to make a fool of someone, often by cheating him. One theory is that it is derived from tripping someone by yanking or pulling his leg in order to make him stumble and look foolish.

Related words

yank someone's chain have a lend of make a fool of wind up kid

Derived words

pull the other one, it's got bells on
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