The term 'leverage' is often used to refer to the impact of borrowing (or debt) when financing an investment or project. (You can get more general information about this use of language by Googling 'leverage'.) It may also help you to look back at the description of 'Leveraged buy-outs', which appears earlier in the same chapter of the Course Notes. You will see there that the term 'geared' is also used in such circumstances.
