English Dictionary

EKE OUT

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does eke out mean? 

EKE OUT (verb)
  The verb EKE OUT has 4 senses:

1. supplement what is thought to be deficientplay

2. live from day to day, as with some hardshipplay

3. make by laborious and precarious meansplay

4. obtain with difficultyplay

  Familiarity information: EKE OUT used as a verb is uncommon.


 Dictionary entry details 


EKE OUT (verb)


Sense 1

Meaning:

Supplement what is thought to be deficient

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

eke out; fill out

Context example:

Braque eked out his collages with charcoal

Hypernyms (to "eke out" is one way to...):

supplement (add as a supplement to what seems insufficient)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 2

Meaning:

Live from day to day, as with some hardship

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

He eked out his years in great poverty

Hypernyms (to "eke out" is one way to...):

live (lead a certain kind of life; live in a certain style)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 3

Meaning:

Make by laborious and precarious means

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

eke out; squeeze out

Context example:

He eked out a living as a painter

Hypernyms (to "eke out" is one way to...):

bring in; clear; earn; gain; make; pull in; realise; realize; take in (earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 4

Meaning:

Obtain with difficulty

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

eke out; squeeze out

Context example:

He eked out some information from the archives

Hypernyms (to "eke out" is one way to...):

obtain (come into possession of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP


 Context examples 


The three dollars he received for the triolets he used to eke out a precarious existence against the arrival of the White Mouse check.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"It's never too late to mend." (English proverb)

"It's impossible to awaken a man who is pretending to be asleep." (Native American proverb, Navajo)

"Dissent and you will be known." (Arabic proverb)

"New brooms sweep clean" (Dutch proverb)



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