[pull] {one's} leg
1
to joke with someone in a friendly manner by trying to make them believe something that is not true
The exact origin of the idiom "pull one's leg" is not well-documented, but it likely originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century. The phrase was first used to describe someone joking or teasing another person in a playful or humorous way. The idea behind the expression is that when you pull someone's leg, you are metaphorically playing a light-hearted trick on them, much like a prank or a jest. This expression is used to imply that someone is teasing or joking with another person, often in a good-natured and playful manner. It is a way to suggest that what has been said may not be entirely truthful or that it is meant to be taken with a grain of salt. It is commonly used in informal conversations to lighten the mood or to acknowledge humor.
- Are you serious, or are you just pulling my leg?
- I can't believe you fell for that story; I was just pulling your leg.
- He claimed he could speak five languages fluently, but I think he was pulling our legs.
- She told me there's a unicorn in the backyard.I think she's just pulling my leg.
- Don't take everything he says seriously; he enjoys pulling people's legs.
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