The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Eke \Eke\ ([=e]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eked ([=e]kt); p. pr. &
   vb. n. Eking.] [AS. [=e]kan, [=y]kan; akin to OFries.
   [=a]ka, OS. [=o]kian, OHG. ouhh[=o]n to add, Icel. auka to
   increase, Sw. ["o]ka, Dan. ["o]ge, Goth. aukan, L. augere,
   Skr. [=o]jas strength, ugra mighty, and probably to English
   wax, v. i. Cf. Augment, Nickname.]
   To increase; to add to; to augment; -- now commonly used with
   out, the notion conveyed being to add to, or piece out by a
   laborious, inferior, or scanty addition; as, to eke out a
   scanty supply of one kind with some other. "To eke my pain."
   --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]

         He eked out by his wits an income of barely fifty
         pounds.                                  --Macaulay.
   [1913 Webster]