live a life of Riley
live a life of Riley
To lead a life of great ease, comfort, or luxury. The phrase is likely of early 20th-century Irish-American origin, but to whom Riley refers is uncertain. Pampered from a young age after his father came into sudden wealth, Jonathan lived a life of Riley compared to the hardships his older siblings faced.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.