Eke

Pronunciation

• enPR: Ä“k, IPA: /iːk/
• Rhymes: -iːk
• Homophones: eek

From Middle English eken ("to increase"), from Old English īecan ("to increase"), from aukjana, from Proto-Germanic *aukaną ("increase"), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewg- ("to increase"). Akin to Danish øge, Icelandic auka, Swedish öka and Latin augeō, Old English ēac ("also").

Full definition of eke

Verb

1. (obsolete except in eke out) To increase; to add to, augment, lengthen.
• Spenser Faerie Queene|I.vHere endlesse penance for one fault I pay,
  But that redoubled crime with vengeance new
  Thou biddest me to eeke?
• , 2012-07-11, Ben Perry, Branson's spaceship steals the spotlight at airshow, British tycoon Richard Branson stole the show here Wednesday, announcing that he and his family would be on Virgin Galactic's first trip into space, as Airbus and Boeing eked out more plane orders.

Noun

1. (obsolete) An addition.
• GeddesClumsy ekes that may well be spared.

From Middle English eke, eake ("an addition"), from Old English Ä“aca ("an addition"). Akin to Old Norse auki ("an addition").

Noun

1. (beekeeping, archaic) A very small addition to the bottom of a beehive, often merely of a few bands of straw, on which the hive is raised temporarily.

From Middle English eek ("also"), from Old English Ä“ac, Ä“c ("also"), from Proto-Germanic *auk. Akin to West Frisian ek, Dutch ook ("also"), German auch ("also"), Swedish ock ("also").

Adverb

1. (obsolete) Also.
• 1663, Hudibras, by Samuel Butler, part 1,'Tis false: for Arthur wore in hall
  Round-table like a farthingal,
  On which, with shirt pull'd out behind,
  And eke before, his good knights dined.
• 1782, John Gilpin, by'John Gilpin was a citizen
  of credit and renown
  A train-band captain eke was he
  of famous London town.'

Anagrams

• eek