Scratch (out), as a living (3)
I believe the answer is:
eke
'scratch out as a living' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for eke that I've seen before include "Make last longer" , "To -- something out is to make it go further" , "Make a living laboriously - a palindrome" , "Stretch (out); in addition (archaic)" , "Increase, lengthen" .)