Street voices
Hugues
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United States
"Pulling someone's leg, meaning to mess with someone, to tease them or joke with them by making them believe something that isn't true. Yo dude, remind me where you're from again? Canada. Wait, you're from Canada? Yeah dude, Toronto, born and bred. What? No, stop pulling my leg, you're not from Canada. Yeah, I'm from Texas."
What it means
Means teasing someone or having them on by making them believe something you know is not true, usually in a playful way. It is the kind of harmless wind up that lives on timing and a straight face. Old phrase, still alive and well, because humans apparently adore tiny acts of friendly deception.
Usage examples
"Man said he was moving to Alaska to become a crab fisherman. Stop pulling my leg, dude, you get cold walking to the mailbox."
"Relax, nobody won the lottery, I'm just pulling your leg."
Where it comes from
The picture is an old one of tripping or tugging at a walker's leg to throw them off, a small prank at their expense. To pull someone's leg is to wind them up with a tall tale or a tease, all in good fun, just to see if they'll bite.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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