a fat lot of good/help/use

a fat lot of good

Something that is useless or not worth the effort. A fat lot of good that did me, spending all that time carefully wrapping the ceramic mugs only to drop the box on the floor and break them all. The crooks who conned us are in jail now, but a fat lot of good that does us—we're still missing over $20,000! The state government just spent a huge amount of money repairing the roads around the state. I don't drive, though, so a fat lot of good that will do me.

a fat lot of use

No use or help. Used to describe something that is useless, unhelpful, or not worth the effort. A fat lot of use that did me, spending all that time carefully wrapping the ceramic mugs only to drop the box on the floor and break them all. The crooks who conned us are in jail now, but a fat lot of use that does us—we're still missing over $20,000! The state government just spent a huge amount of money repairing the roads around the state. I don't drive, though, so a fat lot of use that will do me.

a ˈfat lot of good/help/use

(spoken) not at all good/helpful/useful: A fat lot of use that would be! What a stupid idea. ♢ He was a fat lot of help, I must say!