Possible Clues:

• ___ out a living (get by)
• Scrape together, with 'out'
• Barely squeeze (by)
• __ out a living (just manage)
• __ out: barely manage
• --- out a living
• Earn laboriously (with "out")
• --- out (make do)
• Accomplish by economy, with 'out'
• Early English taking king in addition to Scots