leverage

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   power, influence, or an advantage that can be used to obtain a desired result

   Control of the shipping route gave the negotiators considerable leverage.

2. 2
   noun

   the mechanical advantage gained by applying force through a lever

   She slid a longer bar under the stone to gain more leverage.

3. 3
   noun

   the use of borrowed money to increase the potential return, and potential loss, on an investment

   The acquisition relied on heavy leverage and became risky when interest rates rose.

4. 4
   verb

   to use a resource, position, or influence to achieve a further result

   The nonprofit leveraged its local partnerships to expand the food program.

Appears in

Formed from lever + -age. The noun first denoted the action or mechanical advantage of a lever, then broadened to strategic influence and financial borrowing; the verb developed by conversion from those noun senses.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary