Dictionary

easy street en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈizi ˌstɹit/ (General-American)
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈiːzi ˌstɹiːt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From easy (“at ease, comfortable”) + street.

Meanings

1. (colloquial, idiomatic, uncountable) Chiefly preceded by on: a carefree lifestyle, especially as a result of becoming wealthy, or an easy situation.
   • Honestly, Sally, it's the chance of a lifetime. It would put you right on easy street. Isn't there really any way you could get your money out of this other thing and take on this deal? 1921 October 8 – December 31, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XIV, in Mostly Sally [The Adventures of Sally], 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, published 23 March 1923, →OCLC, section II, page 256:
   • There was big money in it—the fellows who did that job might live on Easy Street the rest of their lives. 1919, Upton Sinclair, “Jimmie Higgins Puts His Foot in It”, in Jimmie Higgins […], Pasadena, Calif.: Upton Sinclair, →OCLC, section II, page 83:
   • Stocks are light, while packers will be able to get financial aid, which will, so far as that is concerned, place them on "easy street." 1813, Financial Year Book of the Daily Commercial News, San Francisco, Calif.: Commercial News Pub. Co., →OCLC, page 55, column 2:
   • Sometimes I'm tired and I wonder / What's so all-fired important / About being someplace at some time / Oh, but I don't really mind / 'Cause I could be on Easy Street 1972 October, Carole King, “Bitter with the Sweet”, in Rhymes & Reasons:
   • Easy street, easy street / Where the rich folks play (yeah, yeah, yeah) / Move them feet to easy street / When you get there, stay 1977, “Easy Street”, in Martin Charnin (lyrics), Charles Strouse (music), Annie (soundtrack):
   • Once after this I asked the "pardners" if Jimsey's mascot was bringing him luck. / "Yes, lady," said Tom, "we walks on de shady side of de street now—don't we, Jimsey?" / "Yes, we lives on Easy street." 1890 August, Marie L[ouise] Marsh, “[The Sketch Book—Character in Outline] Jimsey’s Mascot”, in Current Literature: A Magazine of Record and Review, volume V, number 2, New York, N.Y.: The Current Literature Publishing Co., →OCLC, page 121, column 2:

Forms

Relateds

have it made

Translations (9)

fi helppo elämä ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · mk изо́билство ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · fi kissanpäivät ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · cy hawddfyd ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · mk благосо́стојба ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · mk ле́сна живе́ачка ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · mk бо́гатство ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · cy bywyd braf ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation) · hu él, mint hal a vízben ((colloquial) carefree lifestyle, especially as resulting from being wealthy, or easy situation)