All 6 Uses

factor
in
Atlas Shrugged
(Auto-generated)

When considering an investment, we should, in my opinion, take a chance on human beings, rather than on purely material factors.
Chpt 1.3 *

factors = things that affect a result or outcome
Isn't that a factor which you must take into consideration?†
Chpt 1.7

factor = thing that affects a result or outcome
We can never tell when one such issue may he decided and what may be the decisive factor in a delicate balance.†
Chpt 1.7
Any enlightened person knows that man is made by the material factors of his background, and that a man's mind is shaped by his tools of production.†
Chpt 1.10
Taggart's voice still retained a practiced smoothness, but it was the smoothness of a piece of cloth stretched tight over a broken glass object, and the sharp edges showed through once in a while: "I think it is generally conceded that the main factor affecting every railroad in the country is the unusual rate of business failures.†
Chpt 2.5
"The only factors to consider are land acreage and population figures," said Dr. Ferris in a statistical voice, blowing smoke rings at the ceiling.†
Chpt 3.5

Definitions:

(1) (factor as in: It was the deciding factor.)
something that affects a result or outcome

You also may encounter x-factor or x factor--meaning "the most important thing that influences a result or outcome."
(2) (factor as in: factor it into your thinking)
include consideration of
(3) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
There are many specialized meanings in fields such as mathematics, business, finance, biology, and grammar.