eke
eke Lexical Profile
eke Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To manage to support oneself or make a living with great difficulty and effort (almost always used with 'out').
"During the severe drought, the farming families struggled to eke out a living from the parched soil."
To obtain, achieve, or win something only slightly and with great effort (usually used with 'out').
"The underdog team managed to eke out a narrow victory in the final seconds of the championship game."
To make a limited supply of something last longer by using it sparingly or supplementing it (usually used with 'out').
"The expedition crew had to eke out their remaining rations until the supply ship arrived."
• adverb
In addition; also; moreover (now archaic or poetic).
"The ancient ballad praised the knight for his courage and eke his unwavering loyalty to the realm."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern English, the verb 'eke' is almost exclusively used in the phrasal verb 'eke out' (as in 'to eke out a living'). Do not confuse it with the homophone 'eek', which is an interjection expressing sudden fright or alarm.
• Rhymes for eke
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb derives from Old English 'ēacian' (to increase), while the archaic adverb comes from Old English 'ēac' (also, besides), both tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root shared with Latin 'augēre' (to increase, the source of 'augment').