The Archive

Etymology Journal ยท D

Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining

Meaning

Do not lie to my face about a situation that is clearly negative or offensive. It is a crude way of saying you know you are being played.

Sassy, suspicious

Used in a sentence

  • I know you caused this outage, so don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.
  • You missed the deadline, don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.
  • My boss tried to call this pay cut a promotion, I told him don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.

The backstory

A colorful American idiom that highlights the absurdity of gaslighting. While the specific imagery is modern, it is a common sentiment in political and workplace vernacular.

Heard in

Nationwide

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