eke out

verb

1. 1

   obtain with difficulty

   He eked out some information from the archives

2. 2

   make by laborious and precarious means

   He eked out a living as a painter

3. 3

   supplement what is thought to be deficient

   He eked out his meager pay by giving private lessons

   Braque eked out his collages with charcoal

4. 4

   live from day to day, as with some hardship

   He eked out his years in great poverty