eke out

British  

verb

1. to make (a supply) last, esp by frugal use

   they eked out what little food was left

2. to support (existence) with difficulty and effort

3. to add to (something insufficient), esp with effort

   to eke out an income with evening work

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eke out Idioms  

1. Supplement, make last, as in The survivors eked out their food and water until they were rescued . [Late 1500s]

2. Get with great difficulty or effort, as in The soil was terrible but they managed to eke out a living by rotating crops . [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Today, bighorn eke out an existence among the russet-tinged barrel cacti, which they sometimes turn to for water in the harsh desert.

From Los Angeles Times

Overcoming what felt like constant production problems and growing pains, the company sold enough of the cars in the first quarter of 2013 to eke out a slim profit.

From The Wall Street Journal

For growers who were already battling to eke out a living, the situation has only added to their plight.

From Barron's

Other work by Chinese researchers takes a similar approach, tweaking algorithms based on the behavior of ants, sheep, coyotes and whales to eke out theoretical improvements in the ability of unmanned systems to collaborate.

From The Wall Street Journal

He wasn’t going to eke out an existence living in the shadow of death.

From Literature

Related Words

• get by