IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishthe life of Riley
Meaning: The good life; a comfortable life.
Example: “Since he retired to the coast, he's been living the life of Riley.”
Origin: American English from the early 20th century, of uncertain origin. It is often linked to songs of the 1880s and 1910s about a Mr. Reilly or Riley living in comfort, and a 1919 song, "My Name Is Kelly," includes the line about living the life of Reilly. The phrase was later popularized by the radio and TV series The Life of Riley (1940s–50s).
Equivalents in other languages
Finnish: Olla kuin Ellun kanat Literally: To be like Ellu's hens
French: Rouler carrosse Literally: To roll a carriage
More English idioms
- look like death warmed over To look/feel ill or exhausted.
- 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.
- make heads or tails of something To understand something.
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