A high degree of financial leverage means?

A high degree of financial leverage means?
A high degree of financial leverage means the benefits from tax-deductibility of interest(from additional debt) is more than offset by the increase in financial distress. The firm's fixed obligations are higher and the risk of a likely default is increased with a higher Debt to Equity ratio.
There isn't any set out formula that sets the optimal leverage for a firm...but at some some point taking on more debt, with increases the risk anf thus the return of Equity holders further increases the risk of bondholders and creditors to the firm. Any default in payments leads to distress including bankruptcy, more financial burdens to fight off or succomb to bankruptcy, lower value of firms residual assets allocated to Equityholders and likelihood of the firm shotting down.