eke out
C1Formal / Literary
Definition
Meaning
To manage to make something, especially a living or resources, last or be sufficient with great effort or difficulty.
To supplement or stretch something scarce (like food, money, time) by careful use; also, to achieve something with great difficulty or by the barest margin.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The phrase implies scarcity and careful, often frugal, management. It has a connotation of struggle and making-do. Historically used for subsistence, now often used metaphorically (e.g., eking out a victory).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the phrase identically.
Connotations
Slightly old-fashioned or literary in both varieties.
Frequency
Moderately low in everyday speech, more common in written contexts in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + eke out + Direct Object (e.g., She eked out her savings)Subject + eke out + Direct Object + Prepositional Phrase (e.g., They eked out a living from the land)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Eke out a living”
- “Eke out a victory”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The startup eked out a small profit in its third quarter."
Academic
"Peasant farmers eked out a subsistence from the marginal soil."
Everyday
"We'll have to eke out the groceries until payday."
Technical
Rare in technical contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The villagers eked out a meagre existence from the barren land.
- He eked out his small pension by growing his own vegetables.
American English
- The team eked out a win in the final seconds.
- She eked out her savings by taking on freelance work.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The family had to eke out their food during the long winter.
- Many freelancers eke out a precarious living from project to project.
- The ancient manuscript was so fragile, we eked out the translation word by word.
- The regime eked out its final years through a combination of propaganda and repression.
- The researchers eked out a statistically significant result from a very small sample size.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone saying 'EEK!' when they see how little they have, then having to 'eke out' a way to make it last.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE/RESOURCES AS A SCARCE PHYSICAL SUBSTANCE THAT MUST BE STRETCHED THIN.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'выжимать' (to squeeze out).
- Avoid direct translation; it's a phrasal verb with a specific meaning.
- It does not mean 'to add' or 'to supplement' in an easy way, but rather to *stretch* something scarce.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *'He eked out his essay to reach the word count.' (Correct: 'He padded out his essay...')
- Incorrect: *'They eked out more resources from the supplier.' (Correct if resources are scarce and being stretched; otherwise use 'obtained' or 'secured'.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'eke out' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but 'eke out' is more specific, implying scarcity, difficulty, and often a bare minimum of sufficiency. It's more literary.
No. The core of the meaning is managing something that is scarce or insufficient.
It is more common in formal, literary, or journalistic writing than in casual conversation.
The verb 'eke' comes from Old English 'ēacan', meaning 'to increase', 'lengthen', or 'add to'. 'Eke out' literally meant to supplement or make something go further.
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