Yank Someone's Chain.
English
idiom
To tease or provoke someone for amusement.
Trusted by1M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To tease or provoke someone for amusement.
Trusted by1M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To tease or joke with someone, often by telling them something false or exaggerated.
When you yank someone's chain, you are pulling their leg or provoking them for fun.
It can also mean to deliberately bother or test someone's patience.
"Pull Someone's Leg"
—
Playfully telling someone something false just to tease them in a friendly, harmless way
"Wind Someone Up"
—
Deliberately provoking or irritating someone, often in a more pointed or persistent way
"Yank Someone's Chain"
—
Teasing or provoking someone, often with a false or exaggerated statement
They just called and said the project budget has been doubled.
Are you yanking my chain — because I really need that to be true.
Wait — you were serious about moving to a four-day week?
Sorry — I was just yanking your chain. But wouldn't it be nice?
Stop it — are you actually serious right now?
Relax — I'm yanking your chain. I would never actually do that.
