factor

[maiabulela]

Dear all,

What is the meaning of "factor" in:

{With Mick having won the world title, obviously I’m not getting younger so the focus was squarely on everyone else and not myself so I was able to kind of you know, I don’t know necessarily if anyone underestimated me but for some reason I was able to kind of fly off the radar for a little bit underneath people thinking I was a factor and that’s a really good position to be in}

that was said by Kelly Slater, the surfer.

Thanks a lot.

[Shenfeng]

Here, 'factor' means that he (Slater) was someone who couldn't just be ignored or taken lightly by the other contestants - he was someone to be reckoned with, which means that he had a chance of winning throughout the entire competition.

[maiabulela]

Here, 'factor' means that he (Slater) was someone who couldn't just be ignored or taken lightly by the other contestants - he was someone to be reckoned with, which means that he had a chance of winning throughout the entire competition.

Can you kindly provide me with some synonyms to be able to get it more?
Thanks a lot.

[Shenfeng]

1) Don't let his arrogance be any kind of a factor in your decision making.
1') Just ignore the fact that he is arrogant in your decision making.

2) Although poker is a game of chance, strategy is also an important factor.
2') Although poker is a game of chance, strategy also plays an important role.

3) The game isn't over yet. You know he's a factor, here.
3') The game isn't over yet. You know he's an experienced player who can turn this game around any time.

This is a very abstract term. A 'factor' is a part of something that is important for that something to function correctly or plays an important role in an outcome that is somehow connected to it.

To get back to your original question:
Basically, what he said in that interview was that he thought he didn't give his competitors, who thought he was a factor, the impression that he actually was a threat to them. He thought this was a good position to be in, because his competitors didn't focus too much on him while he did what he did mostly unnoticed.

[susiedq]

I was able to kind of fly off the radar for a little bit underneath people thinking I was a factor and that’s a really good position to be in}

I think he meant he "was able to kind of fly under the radar" for a little bit . . .

by people who thought I was a factor (someone of power), and that's a really good position to be in."

[maiabulela]

I want to say that I really got from The examples. They were amazing. But HONESTLY how he is happy being under the radar because people think he's a factor "an important player"??

I got "factor" meaning but i got confused as far as the context is concerned!

[susiedq]

He likes the idea of being "under the radar" (not having his efforts get a lot of attention and people not thinking that he was a factor in the competition)

The focus of attention was on everyone else and when he did very well, it was a surprise.

[maiabulela]

He likes the idea of being "under the radar" (not having his efforts get a lot of attention and people not thinking that he was a factor in the competition)

The focus of attention was on everyone else and when he did very well, it was a surprise.

Well I got it. "Underneath" here is like ""beyond" people's idea about me that I'm a factor" that word confused me a bit.

Thanks a lot. I appreciate your effort.

[JMurray]

Well I got it. "Underneath" here is like ""beyond" people's idea about me that I'm a factor" that word confused me a bit.

maiabulela: maybe your confusion is related to phrases like "under the microscope" and "under observation", which do mean being the focus of attention. But radar is different of course. A plane will attack a warship by flying very low and close to the sea or land, hoping to stay invisible to the ship by being under the radar, which is scanning the sky … under = beneath the scope of the radar, out of view.

not a teacher