eke

She ekes out her small income by selling handmade jewelry at a local market.

Definition

1. Verb (transitive, usually with "out"):
   • To supplement or make something sufficient: "eke" means to add to or stretch a limited resource so that it lasts longer or becomes adequate.
   • To obtain with difficulty: to manage to gain a livelihood or supply through careful effort.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • He had to eke out his small salary with freelance work. (He supplemented his income to make it sufficient.)
  • During the drought, farmers eked a living from the parched land. (They managed to survive with great difficulty.)

Advanced Usage

• "to eke out a living": to earn just enough money to survive, often through hard work or multiple jobs.

  • She eked out a living by selling handmade crafts at the market. (She barely earned enough to live on.)

• "to eke out an existence": to survive with minimal resources.

  • The refugees eked out an existence in the temporary camp. (They lived with very little.)

Variants and Related Words

• Eked (past tense):
• Eking (present participle):

Synonyms

• Supplement: to add something to make it complete or sufficient.
• Scrape by: to manage with difficulty, especially financially.
• Stretch: to make a resource last longer by using it sparingly.

Related Idioms

• Eke out a living: as defined above; this is the most common idiomatic use of "eke."
• Eke out a victory: to win by a very small margin or with great effort.
  • The team eked out a victory in the final seconds of the game. (They won narrowly and with difficulty.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Eke out (inseparable): This is the only phrasal verb form; "eke" is almost always used with "out."
  • They eked out their water supply by rationing. (They made it last longer by limiting use.)