Leverage

Noun

 * 1) A force compounded by means of a lever rotating around a pivot; see torque.
 * A crowbar uses leverage to pry nails out of wood.
 * 1) By extension, any influence which is compounded or used to gain an advantage.
 * Try using competitors’ prices for leverage in the negotiation.
 * 1)  The use of borrowed funds with a contractually determined return to increase the ability of a business to invest and earn an expected higher return, but usually at high risk.
 * 2)  The ability to earn very high returns when operating at high capacity utilization of a facility.

Synonyms

 * mechanical advantage
 * financial leverage
 * operating leverage

Verb

 * 1)  To use; to exploit; to take full advantage (of something).

Derived terms

 * leveraged buyout

Synonyms

 * exploit, use

Thesaurus
aeromechanics, animal mechanics, ascendancy, authority, biomechanics, celestial mechanics, charisma, charm, clout, consequence, control, credit, dominance, domination, effect, electromechanics, eminence, enchantment, esteem, favor, fluid mechanics, force, good feeling, hold, hydromechanics, importance, incidental power, influence, influentiality, insinuation, leadership, magnetism, mastery, mechanical arts, mechanics, moment, personality, persuasion, potency, power, predominance, preponderance, pressure, prestige, purchase, quantum mechanics, rational mechanics, reign, repute, rule, say, servomechanics, statistical mechanics, suasion, subtle influence, suggestion, supremacy, sway, upper hand, wave mechanics, weight, whip hand, zoomechanics