Looking up...
pull someone's leg
/pʊl ˈsʌmwʌnz lɛɡ/◆idiom
tease playfully
Don't believe him—he's just pulling your leg!
He is not being serious; he is joking in a lighthearted way.
informal
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way by making them believe something untrue
I thought my friend was serious about quitting his job, but he was only pulling my leg.
He was joking and did not actually intend to quit.
She told me she won the lottery, but it turns out she was pulling my leg.
She was teasing me and did not actually win the lottery.
Used to indicate that someone is not being truthful but in a friendly, non-malicious manner.
Collocations
pull someone's legtease someone
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
This idiom is always used in a friendly context. If someone is being mean-spirited, it is not considered 'pulling someone's leg.'
Gold Rule
Tense Usage
Use 'pulling someone's leg' for ongoing or habitual teasing. For a one-time event, use 'pulled someone's leg' in the past tense.
Word Origin
The phrase dates back to the early 19th century. The literal meaning of pulling someone's leg refers to tripping or causing someone to stumble. Over time, it evolved into a metaphor for playful deception or teasing.
Usage Notes
This idiom is always used in the present continuous or simple present tense to describe an ongoing or habitual action. It is never used in the past tense to describe a one-time event unless the context makes it clear that the teasing was ongoing.
English Dictionary