Pull Someone’s Leg
Meaning: To joke with someone by telling them something untrue, in a friendly way.
If someone is “pulling your leg,” they are joking or teasing you in a light-hearted way. The phrase may come from street thieves who tripped victims to rob them—but now it’s harmless. For example, “Relax! I’m just pulling your leg.”
How to use it
It’s friendly teasing, not lying to hurt someone. You’ll hear it most as “I’m just pulling your leg” (I’m joking) or “Are you pulling my leg?” (Are you serious?). It’s casual and common among friends, family and coworkers.
Examples
- Relax, I’m just pulling your leg. The meeting isn’t canceled.
- You won the lottery? Are you pulling my leg?
- He loves pulling his sister’s leg about her cooking.
A common mistake
Use the possessive: pull your leg, pull my leg, not “pull you the leg” or “pull the leg to you.” It means teasing, not physically pulling or tripping someone.
Where it comes from
No one knows for sure. A popular story says thieves tripped people to rob them, but there’s no good evidence for it. The joking meaning appeared in the late 1800s.
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: Onestopenglish