IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishpull someone's leg
Meaning: To joke or tease someone by telling them something untrue.
Example: “Relax, I'm just pulling your leg; the party isn't really canceled.”
Origin: Likely 19th-century British slang; possibly from street thieves who tripped victims by pulling their leg to rob them.
Equivalents in other languages
Spanish: Tomar el pelo Literally: To take someone's hair
German: jemandem einen Bären aufbinden Literally: To tie a bear to someone
Welsh: Tynnu blewyn o drwyn Literally: To pull a hair from the nose
French: Se payer la tête de quelqu'un Literally: To treat oneself to someone's head
Dutch: een loopje nemen Literally: To take a little run with someone
More English idioms
- Mad as a hatter Completely eccentric or unhinged.
- To steal someone's thunder To take credit for another's idea or upstage their big moment.
- Hair of the dog A morning drink taken to cure a hangover.
- To go cold turkey To quit a habit abruptly and completely.
- To cut the mustard To meet the required standard; to succeed.
- To chew the fat To chat idly and at length.
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