lev·er·age 
(lĕvər-ĭj, lĕvrĭj)
(lĕvər-ĭj, lĕvrĭj)n.
1.
a. The action of a lever.
b. The mechanical advantage of a lever.
2. Positional advantage; power to act effectively: "started his ... career with far more social leverage than his father had enjoyed" (Doris Kearns Goodwin).
3. The use of credit or borrowed funds, often for a speculative investment, as in buying securities on margin.
tr.v. lev·er·aged, lev·er·ag·ing, lev·er·ag·es
1.
a. To provide (a company) with leverage.
b. To supplement (money, for example) with leverage.
2. To improve or enhance: "It makes more sense to be able to leverage what we [public radio stations] do in a more effective way to our listeners" (Delano Lewis).
3. To use so as to obtain an advantage or profit: leveraged their personal contacts to find new investors.