NOUN (3)

1. the commercial activity of providing funds and capital;

2. the branch of economics that studies the management of money and other assets;

3. the management of money and credit and banking and investments;


VERB (2)

1. obtain or provide money for;
- Example: "Can we finance the addition to our home?"

2. sell or provide on credit;

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Finance \Fi*nance"\, n. [F., fr. LL. financia payment of money,
   money, fr. finare to pay a fine or subsidy (cf. OF. finer to
   finish, pay), fr. L. finis end. See Fine, n., Finish.]
   1. The income of a ruler or of a state; revenue; public
      money; sometimes, the income of an individual; often used
      in the plural for funds; available money; resources.
      [1913 Webster]

            All the finances or revenues of the imperial crown.
                                                  --Bacon.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The science of raising and expending the public revenue.
      "Versed in the details of finance." --Macaulay.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Finance \Fi*nance"\, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Financed; p. pr.
   & vb. n. Financing.]
   To conduct the finances of; to provide for, and manage, the
   capital for; to financier.

         Securing foreign capital to finance multitudinous
         undertakings.                            --B. H.
                                                  Chamberlain.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

finance
    n 1: the commercial activity of providing funds and capital
    2: the branch of economics that studies the management of money
       and other assets
    3: the management of money and credit and banking and
       investments
    v 1: obtain or provide money for; "Can we finance the addition
         to our home?"
    2: sell or provide on credit

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

FINANCE, n.  The art or science of managing revenues and resources for
the best advantage of the manager.  The pronunciation of this word
with the i long and the accent on the first syllable is one of
America's most precious discoveries and possessions.