Comments on: Are you stupid enough to use leverage as a verb?

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:31:27 +0000

Hi Jeff. That usage wasn’t in the dictionary when I wrote this 2 years ago.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:58:25 +0000

Although you are certainly entitled to your own opinion, you aren’t entitled to your own facts. The Merriam-Webster dictionary has a definition of “leverage” that is a transitive verb.

2: to use for gain : exploit

Now, perhaps there was a time when this definition of leverage wasn’t recognized. However, as you pointed out, language is an ever evolving thing and at least one credible dictionary now defines leverage as “to use for gain; exploit.” Despite this evolution however, we still need a consistent model by which to base our “correctness” of the language. A dictionary would certainly be a good “model” to use for correctness that is consistent, at least from a standpoint of definitions.

I completely understand your position about leverage being over-used. I think its overreaching to say its “incorrect” however, based on the above information. Perhaps its annoying… but as long as its used properly in a sentence as a transitive verb according to the above definition from the model… I don’t think we can say it is incorrect or wrong.

A fair argument to be made would be: Merriam-Webster isn’t a credible source. Perhaps you can make this case, perhaps you can’t. I personally believe Merriam-Webster to be a credible enough word model in so far as I can use its words in an everyday conversation and have them be “correct,” as long as I am using them properly according to the definitions set forth in the model.

In closing I would like to point out that my spelling, punctuation, and grammar are terrible. Worse than terrible. While you would be completely justified in critiquing those things that is not the topic of discussion. AKA: Any response should focus on the topic at hand and not my terrible communications skills.

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:45:56 +0000

In the formation of most of these words ‘age’ is not a suffix.

E.g. manage comes from Italian ‘maneggiarre’ through French ‘manège’; image from Latin ‘imago’; assuage from Latin ‘ad’ + ‘suavis’.

By: Jetes2112

Jetes2112 — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:06:06 +0000

Gabriel,

Does the “noun-defining” suffix -age transform these verbs into nouns?

-Forage
-Manage
-Image
-Assuage
-Average
-Mortgage
-Camouflage
-Damage
-Encourage
-Engage
-Disparage
-Presage
-Envisage

Risum teneatis, amici?

By: Bd Alm

Bd Alm — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:42:22 +0000

For the official record, I’m on Team Dave & Dan. Funny how the author started off by saying that some anal retentive folks (whoops – was there supposed to be a dash between anal and retentive?!?) have a stick up their ass, then proceeded to demonstrate how far the “leveraging” stick was up his ass. Like Dave, I’m going to use it more now. I’m going to use it constantly.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:11:52 +0000

I am happy to use it. My view is that it is merely a time saver in conversation. I would use the sentence, “We can leverage the assets in place” rather than say, “We can take advantage of the leverage provided by the assets we have in place”.

By: Kris

Kris — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:20:24 +0000

Would it be mean to leverage the fact that Canute is said to have either;
a) been humbled by his inability to control the tide, or
b) been simply demonstrating his lack of control of the forces of nature to foolish courtiers.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:27:23 +0000

You grammar police need to relax a little imho. The word ‘leverage’ is useful and I can’t really think of any other words that comfortably take its place. The closest I can think of is “use”, and that’s kinda dull and weak.

Why the objection to leverage? I don’t recall anyone complaining about the use of disadvantage as a verb.

I think I will start using leverage as a verb more frequently in response to this post.

BTW – All you grammar police should stop saying “an historic” or “an hotel” as it makes you sounds daft!

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:33:16 +0000

Tom, another really irritating poor use of English that seems to have crept-in is mis-use of the worg ‘literally’. I’m sure what you mean is that you encountered frequent use of ‘leverage’ as a verb, which also makes me cringe, incidentally. However, to say that “literally anything everybody said was….” is undoubtedly not true. I’m sure there are many things they said that did not use the word leverage. Perhaps some of us pick and choose which words to bastardise and which to get upset about?

By the way, overuse of abbreviations and acronyms also annoy me – what does SEO mean?

By: Jeff Jansen

Jeff Jansen — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:03:00 +0000

Using “leverage” as a verb is just as acceptable as using “firstly” and “secondly” as anything. Those are not proper words. Use “first” and “second” instead.