I hate the verb "to leverage"

[MeGustaXL]

What does it mean????

If it's used in the sense of " Let's make use of something we did before or in another department", why not say "use", or even "re-use"



Chris

Someday I'll know what I'm donig...damn!

 

[CajunCenturion]

If it's used simply in the context of something done before, then it's not being used in the proper context. But I agree, that's the most common use today.

Leverage implies the application of mechanical advantage, so to leverage something is not simply just to use it; it's to bring the equivalent of a mechanical advantage into play by using it.

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[2ffat]

Give me a lever and I shall move the world.

Or was it . . .

Give me some leverage and I shall move your words.

I can't seem to remember anymore.


James P. Cottingham
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[hjgoldstein]

I already feel like a full crumb (see what I did there?) for posting this central to the leverage thread

It is time for pacifists to stand up and fight for their beliefs.

 

[tcsbiz]

Leverage is also used in a political sense. If I know a secret about a candidate, I may have leverage against him. I might say, "I know that he does business with ladies of questionable reputation. I can use that to leverage my position.

 

[kwbMitel]

Most of the time I am hearing this term in the context "Make use of an advantage". This makes sense to me in the same way that a lever is a mechanical advantage.

In the context of the original example, I would be assuming that the meaning was related to knowledge.

e.g. Let's leverage what we learned and apply it moving forward.

This is applicable regardless of whether the knowledge gained was negative or positive.

My 2 bits.



**********************************************
What's most important is that you realise ... There is no spoon.

 

[IPGuru]

I hate this term as well

It seems a typical Americanism, the idea being to use a fancy sounding term to make things look sophisticated & disguise the true meaning.

in the above examples I think the true word to be using would be blackmail, but of course that looks bad


Mundus vult decipi decipiatur ergo.

 

[mintjulep]

According to Dictionary.com (based on Random House) it is an acceptable usage.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/leverage

to use (a quality or advantage) to obtain a desired effect or result: She was able to leverage her travel experience and her gift for languages to get a job as a translator.

 

[SantaMufasa]

A leveraged buyout has a very specific meaning in terms of acquiring a controlling interest in a business entity. When such an acquisition occurs, the buyer(s) are said to "leverage" funds for the acquisition.

Even though someone may dislike the use of "leverage" as a verb, it is perfectly acceptable, liguistically.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
“People may forget what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

 

[hotfusion]

Surely you can't leverage something?
To me that sounds silly.

You can lever something, or apply leverage. As for it being in the dictionary, I don't think that counts for anything. Heck - in the UK our Oxford Dictionary now carries the word 'innit'.

Maybe I should learn french...

Regards, Andy.
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[MeGustaXL]

http://leveragethis.wordpress.com/2007/09/12/leverage-is-not-a-verb/

I like it!

Chris

Someday I'll know what I'm donig...damn!