from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Eke \Eke\ ([=e]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Eked} ([=e]kt); p. pr. &
vb. n. {Eking}.] [AS. [=e]kan, [=y]kan; akin to OFries.
[=a]ka, OS. [=o]kian, OHG. ouhh[=o]n to add, Icel. auka to
increase, Sw. ["o]ka, Dan. ["o]ge, Goth. aukan, L. augere,
Skr. [=o]jas strength, ugra mighty, and probably to English
wax, v. i. Cf. {Augment}, {Nickname}.]
To increase; to add to; to augment; -- now commonly used with
out, the notion conveyed being to add to, or piece out by a
laborious, inferior, or scanty addition; as, to eke out a
scanty supply of one kind with some other. "To eke my pain."
--Spenser.
[1913 Webster]
He eked out by his wits an income of barely fifty
pounds. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]