factor

n. [ L. factor a doer: cf. F. facteur a factor. See Fact. ] 1. (Law) One who transacts business for another; an agent; a substitute; especially, a mercantile agent who buys and sells goods and transacts business for others in commission; a commission merchant or consignee. He may be a home factor or a foreign factor. He may buy and sell in his own name, and he is intrusted with the possession and control of the goods; and in these respects he differs from a broker. Story. Wharton. [ 1913 Webster ]

My factor sends me word, a merchant's fled
That owes me for a hundred tun of wine. Marlowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A steward or bailiff of an estate. [ Scot. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Math.) One of the elements or quantities which, when multiplied together, form a product. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One of the elements, circumstances, or influences which contribute to produce a result; a constituent; a contributory cause. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

The materal and dynamical factors of nutrition. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Factored p. pr. & vb. n. Factoring. ] (Mach.) To resolve (a quantity) into its factors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. factorage. ] The allowance given to a factor, as a compensation for his services; -- called also a commission. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A factor who is a woman. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Math.) (a) pl. A name given to the factors of a continued product when the former are derivable from one and the same function F(x) by successively imparting a constant increment or decrement h to the independent variable. Thus the product F(x).F(x + h).F(x + 2h) . . . F[ x + (n-1)h ] is called a factorial term, and its several factors take the name of factorials. Brande & C.

(b) The product of the consecutive whole numbers from unity up to any given number; thus, 5 factorial is the product of 5 times four times three times two times one, or 120. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to a factory. Buchanan. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) Related to factorials. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Math.) The act of resolving into factors. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. to resolve into factors, as of a polynomial; same as factorize. [ mostly Brit. ]
Syn. -- factorize. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Factorized p. pr. & vb. n. Factorizing ] 1. (Law) (a) To give warning to; -- said of a person in whose hands the effects of another are attached, the warning being to the effect that he shall not pay the money or deliver the property of the defendant in his hands to him, but appear and answer the suit of the plaintiff. (b) To attach (the effects of a debtor) in the hands of a third person; to garnish. See Garnish. [ Vt. & Conn. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) to resolve (a complex expression, such as a polynomial) into factors.
Syn. -- factorise. [ WordNet 1.5 ]