Factoring

[fak-ter-ing] /ˈfæk tər ɪŋ/

noun
1.
Commerce. the business of purchasing and collecting accounts receivable or of advancing cash on the basis of accounts receivable.
2.
the act or process of separating an equation, formula, cryptogram, etc., into its component parts.
[fak-ter] /ˈfæk tər/
noun
1.
one of the elements contributing to a particular result or situation:
Poverty is only one of the factors in crime.
2.
Mathematics. one of two or more numbers, algebraic expressions, or the like, that when multiplied together produce a given product; a divisor:
6 and 3 are factors of 18.
3.
Biochemistry. any of certain substances necessary to a biochemical or physiological process, especially those whose exact nature and function are unknown.
4.
a business organization that lends money on accounts receivable or buys and collects accounts receivable.
5.
a person who acts or transacts business for another; an agent.
6.
an agent entrusted with the possession of goods to be sold in the agent’s name; a merchant earning a commission by selling goods belonging to others.
7.
a person or business organization that provides money for another’s new business venture; one who finances another’s business.
8.
.
9.
Scot. the steward or bailiff of an estate.
verb (used with object)
10.
Mathematics. to express (a mathematical quantity) as a product of two or more quantities of like kind, as 30 = 2·3·5, or x 2 − y 2 = (x + y) (x − y).
Compare (def 4a).
11.
to act as a factor for.
verb (used without object)
12.
to act as a factor.
Verb phrases
13.
factor in/into, to include as an essential element, especially in forecasting or planning:
You must factor insurance payments into the cost of maintaining a car.
/ˈfæktərɪŋ/
noun
1.
the business of a factor
2.
the business of purchasing debts from clients at a discount and making a profit from their collection
/ˈfæktə/
noun
1.
an element or cause that contributes to a result
2.
(maths)

3.
(foll by identifying numeral) (med) any of several substances that participate in the clotting of blood: factor VIII
4.
a person who acts on another’s behalf, esp one who transacts business for another
5.
(commerce) a business that makes loans in return for or on security of trade debts
6.
former name for a gene
7.
(commercial law) a person to whom goods are consigned for sale and who is paid a factorage
8.
(in Scotland) the manager of an estate
verb
9.
(intransitive) to engage in the business of a factor
n.

early 15c., “agent, deputy,” from Middle French facteur “agent, representative,” from Latin factor “doer or maker,” agent noun from past participle stem of facere “to do” (see factitious). Sense of “circumstance producing a result” is from 1816.
v.

1610s, “act as an agent,” from factor (n.). The use in mathematics is attested from 1837. Related: Factored; factoring.

factor fac·tor (fāk’tər)
n.

factor
(fāk’tər)
Noun

Verb To find the factors of a number or expression. For example, the number 12 can be factored into 2 and 6, or 3 and 4, or 1 and 12.

Related Terms

finagle factor, fudge factor