"Well, that's rich, isn't it?"

Posted by ESC January 11, 2004In reply to "Well, that's rich, isn't it?" posted by MB on January 08, 2004

Hi,

Does anyone know the origin of the phrase 'That's rich'?

Thanks,
MB

I haven't been able to find anything. I looked in a couple of general references and a couple on youth slang. Merriam-Webster online has "laughable" as one meaning for "rich":
7 a : ENTERTAINING; also : LAUGHABLE b : MEANINGFUL, SIGNIFICANT Rich allusions. c : LUSH Rich meadows.