jerk someone's chain

A form of yank someone's chain — To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting.

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Meanings

verbjerk someone's chain (third-person singular simple present jerks someone's chain, present participle jerking someone's chain, simple past and past participle jerked someone's chain)

present singular third person jerks someone's chain · participle present jerking someone's chain · participle past jerked someone's chain · past jerked someone's chain

  1. alternativeAlternative form of yank someone's chain.
Cite this entry
APA

jerk someone's chain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jerk%20someone's%20chain

MLA

“jerk someone's chain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jerk%20someone's%20chain. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jerk someone's chain,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jerk%20someone's%20chain.

Source: jerk someone's chain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.