Everyone there (eaks, eeks, ekes) out a living.
The answer is "eke"!
According to Webster's New World College Dictionary, "eke" came from an Old
English verb meaning "to increase." Its roots are even mixed up with those of
"wax," as in waxing and waning. Once upon a time, apparently, you'd hear someone
say: "He's eking out an income with a second job." These days you're more likely
to hear it used the way it was in the example sentence -- that is, managing to
get by but with difficulty. Larry was eking out a living until the quiz windfall
came his way."Eek," of course, is the line that society would have you utter
when you see a mouse. And "eak" seems to be a word the dictionary wants no part
of.
Eke sounds like an exclamation that Bill the cat of Bloom County fame would blurt out.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. He used to, I'm pretty sure. I used to have a Billy and the Boingers album that I tore out of Mad Magazine or somewhere. :-)
ReplyDelete