eke out

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Explanation of "Eke Out"

Definition: The phrase "eke out" is a verb that means to obtain something with difficulty or to make something last longer by using it carefully. It often refers to living with very little or supplementing what you have to survive.

Usage Instructions

• When to use: Use "eke out" when you want to describe a situation where someone is managing to get by with limited resources or when they are trying to make something small last longer.

Examples

1. Obtaining with Difficulty:

   • "He eked out some information from the archives."

2. Living with Hardship:

   • "She eked out a living as a painter."

3. Supplementing What is Lacking:

   • "He eked out his meager pay by giving private lessons."

4. Making Something Last:

   • "They eked out their supplies during the long winter."

Advanced Usage

• "Eke out" can also be used in a more figurative sense, such as in creative processes. For example:
  • "The artist eked out his collages with charcoal."

Word Variants

• There are no direct variants of the phrase "eke out," but it can appear in different tenses:
  • "Eke out" (present)
  • "Eeked out" (past)
  • "Eking out" (present participle)

Different Meanings

While "eke out" primarily focuses on obtaining something with difficulty or making something last longer, it can also carry a connotation of living in a state of scarcity or hardship.

Synonyms

Here are some synonyms for "eke out": - Manage - Scrape by - Supplement - Extend - Squeeze out - Struggle to obtain

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

• "Scrape by": This means to manage to survive, usually with very little.

  • Example: "After losing his job, he had to scrape by on savings."

• "Make ends meet": This means to have enough money to cover your basic expenses.

  • Example: "She works two jobs to make ends meet."

Summary

In summary, "eke out" is a useful phrase that conveys the idea of struggling to obtain or manage something with limited resources. It is often used in contexts of hardship, creativity, and careful management.

Academic

Verb

1. obtain with difficulty
   • He eked out some information from the archives
2. make by laborious and precarious means
   • He eked out a living as a painter
3. live from day to day, as with some hardship
   • He eked out his years in great poverty
4. supplement what is thought to be deficient
   • He eked out his meager pay by giving private lessons
   • Braque eked out his collages with charcoal

Synonyms

• squeeze out
• fill out