life of riley
Meaning: The good life; a comfortable life.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Similar to: lap of luxury The lap of luxury means a very comfortable life because one is rich, whereas the life of Riley is an easy-going life because one doesn't have to work or isn't working. Someone who is poor can lead the life of Riley if he or she doesn't mind being poor. The expression the life of Riley seems to originate from a song that was popular in the 1880s. It was a comic song called "Is That Mr. Reilly?" written by Pat Rooney, and it described what Mr. Reilly would do if he suddenly became rich.
More idioms — Daily Life
- the lion's share — The greater part; most.
- live and let live — To live without interference from other; to not interfere with the lives of others.
- and barrel lock, stock — Everything; the entirety.
- the long and short of it — The outcome; the point.
- look sharp — To have a neat and orderly appearance (sentence 1) or to have a stylish appearance (sente…
- lose one's cool — To become angry.
More English idioms
- look like death warmed over — To look/feel ill or exhausted.
- lose one's temper — To become suddenly angry. To hold one's temper means to remain calm when irritated.
- low man on the totem pole — The person of lowest rank.
- make a clean breast of it — To admit and explain some wrongdoing; to confess something.
- make a long story short — To summarize; to tell only the main points.
- make ends meet — To manage financially; to have enough money for one's basic needs.
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