eke

[ eek ]

verb (used with object),eked, ek·ing.

to increase; enlarge; lengthen.

Verb Phrases

eke out,
- to make (a living) or support (existence) laboriously: They managed to eke out a living by farming a small piece of land.
- to supplement; add to; stretch: to eke out an income with odd jobs.

Origin of eke

before 1000; Middle English eken,Old English ēac(i)an (intransitive), derivative of ēaca (noun) increase; Middle English echen,Old English ēcan, variant of īecan (transitive) <West Germanic *aukjan; both akin to Old Norse auka,Gothic aukan,Latin augēre,Greek auxánein to increase, amplify

Other definitions for eke (2 of 2)

eke²

[ eek ]

adverbArchaic.

also.

Origin of eke

before 900; Middle English eek,Old English ēc, ēac; cognate with German auch,Old Norse, Gothic auk

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use eke in a sentence

Against the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions, Washington came close to overcoming its faults but couldn’t eke out a win.
Washington comes back to beat Bengals, 20-9, after rookie QB Joe Burrow leaves with injury | Nicki Jhabvala | November 22, 2020 | Washington Post
Likeable Republican Senate candidate Cory Gardner eked out a major win Tuesday night.
A GOP Star Rises in Colorado, Beats Udall | Eleanor Clift | November 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Boring as it may seem, be glad that Cochran eked out his win.
Thad Cochran Wins One for Sanity Over Tea Partier Chris McDaniel | Michael Tomasky | June 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The home team eked out a win in the World Cup opening match, with a little help from the Japanese ref.
Brazil Slips Past Croatia, Thanks to Yuichi Nishimura | Tunku Varadarajan | June 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
In 2009, Christie eked out a slight win against incumbent governor Jon Corzine and still garnered 32 percent of the Hispanic vote.
How Chris Christie is Winning Over Hispanics | David Freedlander | November 3, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST

He 2010, he drew five challengers, and eked out slightly more than 50 percent of the vote.
Charlie Rangel on Immigration, Pope Francis & His Successor | David Freedlander | August 2, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
Now she had grown, and eked out a poor living by seeking for gold in the sands brought down by the Ardèche.
Frdric Mistral | Charles Alfred Downer
It was thus that scanty salaries were eked out both before and after the Reformation.
Ireland Under the Tudors, Vol. II (of 3) | Richard Bagwell
Wages, however, were then eked out by home industries and commonable rights.
The Political History of England - Vol. X. | William Hunt
He very soon after came to America, where for many weary years he has eked out an existence in the sweat-shops of New York.
The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth Century | Leo Wiener
Thus they eked out a miserable existence until the 11th of February, when Barzilla Ray died.
South American Fights and Fighters | Cyrus Townsend Brady

British Dictionary definitions for eke (1 of 2)

eke¹

/ (iːk) /

verb

(tr) archaic to increase, enlarge, or lengthen

Origin of eke

Old English eacan; related to Old Norse auka to increase, Latin augēre to increase

British Dictionary definitions for eke (2 of 2)

eke²

/ (iːk) /

sentence connector

archaic also; moreover

Origin of eke

Old English eac; related to Old Norse, Gothic auk also, Old High German ouh, Latin autem but, aut or

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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