yanked someone's chain
Pulled their leg
To yank someone's chain is to tease or provoke them, usually by saying something false or exaggerated to get a reaction: I told him the boss wanted to see him—just yanking his chain.
The image is of jerking an animal's restraint to agitate it.
The phrase implies playful rather than malicious intent.
- jokedSpoke in humor
- provokedCaused a reaction
- got a rise out ofProvoked a visible reaction
- teasedMocked playfully
- banteredTraded light teasing remarks
having a laugh · pranked · jested · ribbed · messing with · irritated · wound up · quipped · annoyed · needled · stirred the pot · taunted · toyed with · strung along · aggravated · mocked · had on · taking the piss