Scraped (by) (4)
I believe the answer is:
eked
'scraped by' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for eked that I've seen before include "Added to scantly" , "Made, a living say, laboriously" , "... out, made to last through frugality" , "Lengthened; supplemented" , "- - out: increased" .)