To make something last longer or stretch further by using it sparingly, or to barely manage to make enough of something.
From Old English 'eacian' meaning to increase or add to; related to 'eke out' which originally meant to supplement or add to something insufficient.
The phrase 'eke out a living' reveals how this word captures the genuine struggle of people who earn just barely enough to survive—it's both a practical verb and a window into historical hardship.
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