yanks someone's chain
Deliberately gets reactions
To yank someone's chain is to tease or provoke them, usually by saying something you don't mean just to get a reaction: I'm just yanking your chain—I know you didn't really do it.
The image is of jerking a dog's leash or a prisoner's shackles.
The phrase implies playful needling rather than genuine hostility.
- pulling your legJoking to fool someone
- hoaxingDeliberately deceiving others
- dupingDeliberately misleading another
- ribbingAffectionate verbal teasing
- irritatingCausing mild frustration
kidding · playfulness · taking the piss · joshing · razzing · pranking · jest · mischief · needling · fooling · poking fun · winding up · getting a rise · misleading · stringing along · aggravating · goading · taunting