eke sth out, eking out, over (CONNECTED WITH)

Eking out a bit of afternoon sun at a tiny rooftop flat.


Club Med Ekes Out Profit
Club Med returned to a profit, but its underlying business remains vulnerable to the global economic slump.



The savings were similar to those forecast by management in other European cross-border banking deals, such as Banco Santander Central Hispano SA's £8 billion ($14.5 billion) purchase of Abbey National PLC of the United Kingdom in 2004, in which the Spanish bank said it could eke out almost 19% in cost savings. They also show that savings in technology platforms could lead to substantial financial benefits from a cross-border banking deal.



2009
China understands Rice trip cancellation over Gaza
Reuters - USA
BEIJING (Reuters) - China said it understood the United States decision to cancel a planned trip to Beijing by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ...

over (CONNECTED WITH)
preposition
(referring to a cause of interest, worry, discussion, etc.) connected with or about:
There's no point in arguing over something so unimportant.
I need time to talk/think over your proposal (= to discuss/consider it carefully).
The legal battle was over who should have custody of the child.

eke¹

 

━━ vt. 補う ((out)); やりくりする.
eke out a living　ぎりぎりの生活を営む.

tr.v., eked, ek·ing, ekes.

1. To supplement with great effort. Used with out: eked out an income by working two jobs.
2. To get with great effort or strain. Used with out: eke a bare existence from farming in an arid area.
3. To make (a supply) last by practicing strict economy. Used with out.

[Middle English eken, to increase, from Old English ēcan.]

eke sth out phrasal verb [M]
to use something slowly or carefully because you only have a small amount of it:
There wasn't much food left, but we just managed to eke it out.
He managed to eke out a living (= earn just enough to live on) one summer by selling drinks on a beach.