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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary fac·tor
ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Middle French facteur, from Latin factor doer, from facere DATE 15th century 1. one who acts or transacts business for another: as a. broker 1b b. one that lends money to producers and dealers (as on the security of accounts receivable) 2. a. (1) one that actively contributes to the production of a result : ingredient price wasn't a factor in the decision (2) a substance that functions in or promotes the function of a particular physiological process or bodily system b. a good or service used in the process of production 3. gene 4. a. any of the numbers or symbols in mathematics that when multiplied together form a product; also : a number or symbol that divides another number or symbol b. a quantity by which a given quantity is multiplied or divided in order to indicate a difference in measurement costs increased by a factor of 10
verb DATE 1621 intransitive verb : to work as a factor transitive verb 1. to resolve into factors 2. a. to include or admit as a factor — used with in or into factor inflation into our calculations b. to exclude as a factor — used with out English Etymology factor factor (n.) early 15c., "agent, deputy," from M.Fr . facteur "agent, representative," from L. factor "doer or maker," from facere "to do" (see factitious). Sense of "circumstance producing a result" is from 1816; the v. use in mathematics is attested from 1837.http://M.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ factor fac·tor / 5fAktE(r) / noun1. [C] one of several things that cause or influence sth 因素；要素: economic factors 经济因素 The closure of the mine was the single most important factor in the town's decline. 矿山的关闭是这个镇衰落的唯一最重要的因素。 the key / crucial / deciding factor 关键的/至关重要的/决定性的因素 2. [C] (mathematics 数) a number that divides into another number exactly 因子；因数: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12 are the factors of 12. 1、2、3、4、6 和 12 是 12 的因子。 3. [C] the amount by which sth increases or decreases (增或减的)数量,倍数: The real wage of the average worker has increased by a factor of over two in the last 70 years. 近 70 年来工人的实际工资平均增长超过了十倍。 4. [C] a particular level on a scale of measurement 系数: a suntan lotion with a protection factor of 10 防护系数为 10 的防晒油 The wind-chill factor will make it seem colder. 风寒系数使人觉得比实际温度更冷一些。 5. [U] (medical 医) a substance in the blood that helps the clotting process. There are several types of this substance 凝血因子: Haemophiliacs have no factor 8 in their blood. 血友病患者的血液中缺乏凝血因子 VIII。 IDIOMS ⇨ see feel-good verb PHRASAL VERBS ▪ 7factor sth ↔ 'in | factor sth ↔ into sth (technical 术语) to include a particular fact or situation when you are thinking about or planning sth 把…因素包括进去: Remember to factor in staffing costs when you are planning the project. 规划该项目时,记住要把雇人费用这个因素考虑进去。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English factor noun ADJ. important, main, major, relevant, significant one of the most significant factors | critical, crucial, deciding, decisive, determining, key, vital This is regarded as the crucial factor in deciding who should get priority. Money proved to be the deciding factor. | contributing, contributory Poor organization was certainly a contributory factor to the crisis. | complicating, distorting A complicating factor is her parents' refusal to cooperate with the police. | limiting | mitigating The appeal judges spoke of strong mitigating factors in the case. | aggravating | additional | single The closure of the mine was the single most important factor in the town's decline. | common Look for the common factor in all these cases. | external, extraneous, extrinsic External factors in the production of disease include pollution of the environment. | internal, intrinsic | causal, causative | risk Studies have established that smoking is a risk factor for cancer. | contextual, demographic, economic, environmental, genetic, political, psychological, situational, social VERB + FACTOR consider, take into account A variety of other factors will be taken into account. | depend on FACTOR + VERB be involved, operate the contextual factors which operate to hinder understanding | affect sth, be responsible for sth, contribute to sth, determine sth, influence sth, precipitate sth, predispose sb/sth to sth environmental factors which predispose children to middle-ear infections | constrain sth, inhibit sth, militate against sth one of the factors that influenced his decision | interact looking at how economic and social factors interact | include sth PREP. ~ behind the main factors behind the dollar's weakness | ~ in a key factor in the decision PHRASES a combination/number/range/variety of factors The outcome will depend on a number of factors. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition n. Function: noun 1 Synonyms: ELEMENT 2, component, constituent, ingredient Related Words: antecedent, cause, determinant; agency, agent, instrument, instrumentality, means 2 Synonyms: AGENT 2, assignee, attorney, deputy, proxy Related Words: bailiff, majordomo, seneschal, steward; adjutant, aid, assistant, coadjutor, helper Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged fac·tor I. \ˈfaktə(r) also -ˌtȯ(ə)r or -ȯ(ə)\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English factour, from Middle French facteur, from Latin factor maker, doer, from factus + -or 1. : a person that acts or transacts business for another : agent , deputy : as a. : a commercial agent who sells or buys goods for others on commission : consignee ; especially : one permitted to buy and sell in his own name and entrusted with the possession and control of goods — compare broker b. now chiefly Scotland : a steward or bailiff of an estate; also :one appointed by law to have charge of forfeited or sequestered property c. : an employee of the former East India Company of Britain that ranked above a writer and below a merchant d. : the agent in charge of a trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company who adds to the usual duties of a factor the care of the company's territory and often exercises a quasi police control of the surrounding region e. : a commercial banker or finance company specializing in financial services to producers and dealers (as the discounting of accounts receivable) 2. obsolete a. : partisan , adherent b. : a maker, author, or doer of anything 3. a. : something (as an element, circumstance, or influence) that contributes to the production of a result : constituent , ingredient < people and people's doings are the essential factor — I.J.C.Brown > < such factors as availability of adequate power, transportation, and a labor source must be considered in appraising an industrial site > < hereditary predisposition, malnutrition, and overexertion are common factors in the development of many diseases > b. or factor of production : a good or service (as land, labor, or capital) used in the process of production c. : one of the elements determined in job evaluation to be essential to a job (as skill and training required, effort demanded, responsibility and working conditions involved) — called also job factor 4. a. : gene b. : a presumed equivalent of a gene (as a plasmagene) < some authorities recognize more than one kind of cytoplasmic factor > 5. a. : any of the numbers, quantities, or symbols in mathematics that when multiplied together form a product b. : a quantity by which a measure must be multiplied or divided in order to express it in other terms; also : a quantity by which a given quantity is multiplied or divided in order to indicate a difference in measurement c. : the number by which a given time is multiplied in photography to give the complete time for exposure or development d. : a number that converts by multiplication the weight of one substance into the chemically equivalent weight of another substance — called also gravimetric factor 6. : a substance (as a hormone or vitamin) promoting or functioning in a particular physiological process; especially : such a substance of which the exact nature or mode of action is unknown < the role of extrinsic factors in blood formation > Synonyms: see element II. \-_tə(r)\ verb (factored ; factored ; factoring \-t(ə)riŋ\ ; factors) transitive verb 1. : to resolve into factors : factorize 2. : to act as factor for < factored his cousin's estate after he got out of the army > intransitive verb : to act as a factor especially in discounting accounts receivable III. transitive verb : to include or admit as a factor — used with in or into < factor inflation into our calculations > |
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