fat of the land, the
fat of the land
1. The hypothetical surplus that one can access in order to live comfortably without working very hard. Often used in the phrase "live off the fat of the land." Ben has been living off the fat of the land for too long—it's time for him to get a job!
2. The best of something. It's a party, and we've got some delicious food—come on, everybody, and enjoy the fat of the land!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
fat of the land, the
The best or richest of anything, as in The tiny upper class lived off the fat of the land while many of the poor were starving. This expression alludes to fat in the sense of "the best or richest part." The Bible has it as eat the fat of the land (Genesis 45:18).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.