lead the life of Reilly
(redirected from led the life of Reilly)lead the life of Reilly
To live a life of great ease, comfort, or luxury. The phrase is likely of early 20th-century Irish-American origin, but to whom Reilly refers is uncertain. Pampered from a young age after his father came into sudden wealth, Jonathan led the life of Reilly compared to the hardships his older siblings faced.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
lead/live the life of Reilly/ˈRiley
(informal) have a comfortable and enjoyable life without any worries: He inherited a lot of money and since then he’s been living the life of Riley.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
life of Reilly, leading/living the
Living a life of luxury. There are several theories as to the precise origin of this term and the identity of Reilly (or Riley). The earliest attribution is to a comic song, “Is That Mr. Reilly?” popularized by vaudevillian Pat Rooney in America in the 1880s and describing what Reilly would do if he struck it rich. However, H. L. Mencken said it came from another source, “The Best in the House Is None Too Good for Reilly,” by Lawlor and Blake, popular about 1900. Though the original Reilly is no longer known, the cliché survives.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer