1. The science of the management of money and other assets.
2. The management of money, banking, investments, and credit.
3. finances Monetary resources; funds, especially those of a government or corporate body.
4. The supplying of funds or capital.

1. To provide or raise the funds or capital for: financed a new car.
2. To supply funds to: financing a daughter through law school.
3. To furnish credit to.

[Middle English finaunce, settlement, money supply, from Old French finance, payment, from finer, to pay ransom, from fin, end, from Latin fīnis.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.