Dictionary

pull someone's leg en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

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.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting.
   • I hadn't pulled Mrs. Barstow's leg for any of that stuff, she had just handed it to me on a platter, and that wasn't my fault. 1934, Rex Stout, Fer-de-Lance, Bantam, published 1992, →ISBN, page 111:
   • No, I'm just pulling your leg, it's crucifixion really. 1979, Life of Brian, spoken by Mr. Cheeky (Eric Idle):
2. (idiomatic, obsolete) To extract money from someone (by taking out a loan or by swindling).
   • The verb 'to-pull-his-leg' means to extract from his pocket all the lucre it will yield. 1893, John Kendrick Bangs, Coffee and Repartee:
   • "I would 'pull his leg,' but Laura will not work with me." The expression "pulling his leg," Miss Sullivan explained as meaning to coax or wheedle his wealth out of him. 1895, Reports of Decisions in Probate:
   • I'm very glad to hear of his good fortune; but it's a deuced strange thing, for I saw him at the club last night and he never said a word of it. I'll pull his leg when I see him. 1886, Mark Well, “An Old-Time Tip”, in Wallace's Monthly, volume 12:

Forms

Deriveds

pull the other one, it's got bells on

Relateds

have a lend of · take the mickey · yank someone's chain · make a fool of · kid · wind up

Translations (35)

ru дразни́ть (to tease someone) · de veralbern (to tease someone) · fr mener en bateau (to tease someone) · fi vedättää (to tease someone) · ru подка́лывать (to tease someone) · it prendere in giro (to tease someone) · de jemanden in die Irre führen (to tease someone) · gd tarraing à cudeigin (to tease someone) · el δουλεύω (to tease someone) · pl nabierać (to tease someone) · es provocar (to tease someone) · es tomar el pelo (to tease someone) · es picar (a alguien) (to tease someone) · es buscarle a alguien las cosquillas (to tease someone) · pl wkręcać (to tease someone) · ca prendre el pèl (to tease someone) · fr faire marcher (to tease someone) · pl robić w konia (to tease someone) · de jemanden durch den Kakao ziehen (to tease someone) · eo blagi (to tease someone) · es quedarse con alguien (to tease someone) · de verarschen (to tease someone) · pl wkręcić (to tease someone) · es sacar pica (to tease someone) · pl nabrać (to tease someone) · hu ugrat (to tease someone) · cmn 開玩笑 /开玩笑 (to tease someone) · pl zrobić w konia (to tease someone) · es cizañear (to tease someone) · pl nabić w butelkę (to tease someone) · vi nói sạo (to tease someone) · pl nabijać w butelkę (to tease someone) · tr dalga deçmek (to tease someone) · es meter cizaña (to tease someone) · cmn 嘲弄 (to tease someone)