eke out

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

Idioms and Phrases

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

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]

Example Sentences

House Majority Leader Tom Delay pushing Texas legislators to eke out a few more seats for the Republicans.

From Salon

In what Farrell called an "aggressive" performance at the set-piece, the front row were able to eke out a string of penalties.

From BBC

Every run that Australia managed to eke out for their final wicket would have gnawed away at Bavuma who was, if we are being hypercritical, guilty of a slight captaincy misstep.

From BBC

Cummins, who reached 300 Test wickets after he took 6-28, said any runs his side can eke out for their last two wickets could be vital.

From BBC

From club cricket in Cheshire and Birmingham, to T20 leagues in Canada and the Cayman Islands, there was a time when Webster thought he would simply "eke out a steady career".

From BBC

Related Words

• get by