eke 1
/eek/ , v.t., eked, eking .
1. to increase; enlarge; lengthen.
2. eke out ,
a. to make (a living) or support (existence) laboriously: They managed to eke out a living by farming a small piece of land.
b. to supplement; add to; stretch: to eke out an income with odd jobs.
[ bef. 1000; ME eken, OE eac ( i ) an (intrans.), deriv. of eaca (n.) increase; ME echen, OE ecan, var. of IECAN (transit.) aukjan; both akin to ON auka, Goth aukan, L augere, Gk auxánein to increase, amplify ]
eke 2
/eek/ , adv. Archaic.
also.
[ bef. 900; ME eek, OE ec, eac; c. G auch, ON, Goth auk ]