From "dictionary.com" it seems this use of the word has already been dictionarised! Nigel


"lev·er·age    ( P ) Pronunciation Key (lvr-j, lvr-)
n.

The action of a lever.
The mechanical advantage of a lever.
Positional advantage; power to act effectively: "started his... career with far more social leverage than his father had enjoyed" (Doris Kearns Goodwin).
The use of credit or borrowed funds to improve one's speculative capacity and increase the rate of return from an investment, as in buying securities on margin.

tr.v. lev·er·aged, lev·er·ag·ing, lev·er·ag·es

To provide (a company) with leverage.
To supplement (money, for example) with leverage.
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). "