pull someone's leg

present singular third person pulls someone's leg · participle present pulling someone's leg · participle past pulled someone's leg · past pulled someone's leg

1. idiomaticTo tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting.

   No, I'm just pulling your leg, it's crucifixion really.

   1979, Life of Brian, spoken by Mr. Cheeky (Eric Idle)

   1 more example

   I hadn't pulled Mrs. Barstow's leg for any of that stuff, she had just handed it to me on a platter, and that wasn't my fault.

   1934, Rex Stout, Fer-de-Lance, Bantam, published 1992, →ISBN, page 111

2. idiomaticobsoleteTo extract money from someone (by taking out a loan or by swindling).First known use late 19th c.

   The verb 'to-pull-his-leg' means to extract from his pocket all the lucre it will yield.

   1893, John Kendrick Bangs, Coffee and Repartee

   2 more examples

   I'm very glad to hear of his good fortune; but it's a deuced strange thing, for I saw him at the club last night and he never said a word of it. I'll pull his leg when I see him.

   1886, Mark Well, “An Old-Time Tip”, in Wallace's Monthly, volume 12

   "I would 'pull his leg,' but Laura will not work with me." The expression "pulling his leg," Miss Sullivan explained as meaning to coax or wheedle his wealth out of him.

   1895, Reports of Decisions in Probate