eking

2 definitions found

eking - 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]

  Eking \Ek"ing\, n. [From Eke, v. t.] (Shipbuilding)
     (a) A lengthening or filling piece to make good a deficiency
         in length.
     (b) The carved work under the quarter piece at the aft part
         of the quarter gallery. [Written also eiking.]
         [1913 Webster]