Eke is a versatile verb often associated with the concept of stretching limited resources. See examples of eke used in a sentence. Jan 13, 2026the noun is derived from middle english eke (“addition, increase, enlargement”), from old english ēaca, [1] from proto-germanic *aukô, from *aukaną (“to increase, add, enlarge”), ultimately.
To eke out an income. Families eke out an existence in tiny shelters made from rubbish or threadbare canvas sheets. Nomadic tribes still eke out a living from the surrounding deserts.
There are only a few scattered settlements within its borders, and a few nomadic tribes of savages eke out a miserable existence on. To eke is (1) to manage with difficulty (to make a livelihood), and (2) to make something last by practicing strict economy. The word is usually embedded in the phrasal verb eke out;
Factsheet what does the verb eke mean? There are seven meanings listed in oed's entry for the verb eke, three of which are labelled obsolete.
