eke out
to gain something through hard work
TRANSLATION
eke out = sich mühsam durchschlagen, erkämpfen (DH) --- GOOGLE INDEX eke out: approximately 750,000 hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Offshore stock funds EKE OUT gains in the first quarter
(International Herald Tribune)
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While the poor Nigerians are left to EKE OUT a living from dismal sources.
BBC News
(International Herald Tribune)
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While the poor Nigerians are left to EKE OUT a living from dismal sources.
BBC News
Did you
know?
eke out
verb
- to supplement with great effort (to eke out an income by working two jobs)
- to get with great effort or strain (to eke a bare existence from farming in an arid area)
- to make (a supply) last by practicing strict economy (outdated)
(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition)
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WORD ORIGIN
Etymology: eke originated around 1200, from eken, meaning to increase or lengthen. It’s a variant of the earlier echen, which developed from the Old English ecan/eacan/eacian (addition, reinforcement). It’s also related to the Old Frisian aka (to increase), Old Saxon okain and Old High German ouhhon. The phrase to "eke out" can be traced to around the late 1500s. (The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology)
As the etymology explanation points out, eke originally meant increasing, supplementing or extending something in order to make it last longer.
Today, the word is used almost exclusively in combination with "out". It’s typically used in reference to achieving something by putting forth a strenuous effort such as earning a living: "They eked out a living on two incomes." The implication is that one has to work hard to make end meets or to just get by.
In the world of finance, one can eke out gains on the stock market for instance. A sports team might eke out a win. Or someone taking an exam can eke out a score that’s good enough to pass. In each case, it conveys the message that it was a hard fought achievement that required a strenuous effort.
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SYNONYMS
barely exist, economize on, get by, husband, make do, make last, stretch out
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
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IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
"Some students eke out a living by working part time in restaurants and bars."
verb
- to supplement with great effort (to eke out an income by working two jobs)
- to get with great effort or strain (to eke a bare existence from farming in an arid area)
- to make (a supply) last by practicing strict economy (outdated)
(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition)
---
WORD ORIGIN
Etymology: eke originated around 1200, from eken, meaning to increase or lengthen. It’s a variant of the earlier echen, which developed from the Old English ecan/eacan/eacian (addition, reinforcement). It’s also related to the Old Frisian aka (to increase), Old Saxon okain and Old High German ouhhon. The phrase to "eke out" can be traced to around the late 1500s. (The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology)
As the etymology explanation points out, eke originally meant increasing, supplementing or extending something in order to make it last longer.
Today, the word is used almost exclusively in combination with "out". It’s typically used in reference to achieving something by putting forth a strenuous effort such as earning a living: "They eked out a living on two incomes." The implication is that one has to work hard to make end meets or to just get by.
In the world of finance, one can eke out gains on the stock market for instance. A sports team might eke out a win. Or someone taking an exam can eke out a score that’s good enough to pass. In each case, it conveys the message that it was a hard fought achievement that required a strenuous effort.
---
SYNONYMS
barely exist, economize on, get by, husband, make do, make last, stretch out
(Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus)
---
IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS TODAY
say something like:
"Some students eke out a living by working part time in restaurants and bars."
