yank someone's chain

English

Alternative forms

• jerk someone's chain, pull someone's chain

Pronunciation

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Verb

yank someone's chain (third-person singular simple present yanks someone's chain, present participle yanking someone's chain, simple past and past participle yanked someone's chain)

1. (idiomatic, informal) To tease someone; to lead someone on; to goad someone into overreacting.

   Near-synonyms: poke, prod

   Coordinate term: get someone's goat

   • 2006, James A. McKenna, Beyond Bluffs: Master the Mysteries of Poker, →ISBN, page 198:

     So, be careful what you are paying attention to. If it looks like someone is yanking your chain, he or she probably is.

   • 2008, Tom Morrisey, In High Places, →ISBN, page 198:

     “For the same reason you were yanking my chain about the double ropes,” I said. “You want to see if I'm going to be any help to you or a total idiot when it comes to this retail thing.”

   • 2012, Alison Fraser, His Mistress's Secret, →ISBN:

     It was so easy to yank his chain, Tiree smirked to herself, as she dialled Les's London flat.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see yank,‎ chain.