lead 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.

See also: lead, life, of, Reilly

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.

See also: lead, life, live, of, Reilly, riley

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