The term 'BARELY MAKE' can be broken down into three separate words: EKE (3 letters), EKES (4 letters), and EKEOUT (6 letters). EKE is a verb meaning to manage with difficulty or to make do with little. EKES is the third-person singular present form of the verb, and EKEOUT is an informal verb meaning to manage to get by with very little. Together, these words suggest that BARELY MAKE means to barely manage to get by with very little.