frame
frame
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "frame" is /freɪm/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
frame:
/f/ - voiceless labiodental fricative
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
/eɪ/ - diphthong (as in "face")
/m/ - voiced bilabial nasal
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: frame
Plural Noun: frames
Verb (base form): frame
Verb (third-person singular present): frames
Verb (present participle): framing
Verb (past tense/past participle): framed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A rigid structure that provides shape or support for something.
Synonyms: framework, casing, skeleton, structure
Antonyms: content, filling, substance
Definition 2: A border or case enclosing a picture, mirror, or windowpane.
Synonyms: border, surround, casing, mounting
Antonyms: interior, center, core
Definition 3: The main body or chassis of a vehicle, bicycle, or other mechanical device.
Synonyms: chassis, structure, body, skeleton
Antonyms: components, parts, engine
Definition 4: A single image or still picture in a series, such as in a film or video.
Synonyms: still, shot, image, picture
Antonyms: sequence, continuous motion, flow
Definition 5: A particular state, mood, or condition of mind.
Synonyms: state, mood, disposition, mindset
Antonyms: absence, void, emptiness
Verb
Definition 1: To construct or make by fitting parts together; to form a structure.
Synonyms: build, construct, assemble, form
Antonyms: dismantle, deconstruct, demolish
Definition 2: To put a border or case around something, especially a picture or mirror.
Synonyms: border, enclose, mount, surround
Antonyms: uncover, remove, expose
Definition 3: To formulate or devise (a plan, system, or idea).
Synonyms: formulate, devise, conceive, plan
Antonyms: improvise, neglect, overlook
Definition 4: To present or express (something) in a particular way, often to influence perception.
Synonyms: present, express, articulate, convey
Antonyms: obscure, hide, distort
Definition 5: To incriminate an innocent person with fabricated evidence; to set up.
Synonyms: incriminate, implicate, conspire against, set up
Antonyms: exonerate, absolve, clear
Examples of Use
Books:
"He adjusted the frame of his glasses, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow." (From "The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides, February 2019)
"The narrative frame of the story, set within a series of letters, allowed for multiple perspectives."
Newspapers:
"The city council discussed the new zoning regulations within the frame of urban development goals." (From a local newspaper editorial, March 2023)
"Investigators believe the suspect attempted to frame his business partner for the embezzlement." (From a national newspaper report, December 2022)
Online Publications:
"Tips for choosing the perfect bike frame for your riding style." (From an online cycling magazine, October 2024)
"How social media algorithms frame our understanding of current events." (From a technology news website, April 2025)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"The director meticulously composed each frame, ensuring every visual element contributed to the storytelling." (Film critique from an entertainment blog, January 2023)
"In the game, players must frame their shots carefully to solve the puzzle." (Description of a video game mechanic, November 2023)
"The photographer shared a close-up of the antique mirror's ornate frame." (Caption on a social media platform like Instagram, May 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"We need to approach this problem from a different frame of mind."
"Can you help me frame this certificate for the wall?"
"The new building's steel frame is nearing completion."
10 Quotes Using Frame
"Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame." (G.K. Chesterton)
"We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny. But what we put into it is ours." (Dag Hammarskjöld)
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet, and the cause and prevention of disease." (Thomas Edison)
"How little do they see what really is, who frame their hasty judgment upon that which seems." (Daniel Webster)
"A cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation... is the medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run." (George Matthew Adams)
"Rigid, the skeleton of habit alone upholds the human frame." (Virginia Woolf)
"Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response." (Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.)
"Mindfulness helps us freeze the frame so that we can become aware of our sensations and experiences as they are, without the distorting coloration of socially conditioned responses or habitual reactions." (Henepola Gunaratana)
"I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation." (W. Somerset Maugham)
"If God's not in the picture, then all I've got is a frame." (Craig D. Lounsbrough)
Etymology
The word "frame" has a pretty interesting journey through the English language! It comes from Old English, and its earliest known use (as a verb, meaning to "do good to" or "benefit") dates back to before 1150.
Ancient Roots: The word "frame" can be traced back to ancient Germanic languages. The core idea behind these older words was "forward" or "advancement."
Old English Meanings: In Old English, the verb "framian" or "fremian" meant things like "to profit," "to be helpful," "to avail," or "to benefit." Imagine doing something that moves things forward or makes them better – that was the original sense. It also had a sense of "to perform" or "to accomplish."
Middle English Evolution: As English evolved into Middle English (around the 12th to 15th centuries), the meaning of "frame" started to shift and broaden.
One key development was the idea of "making ready" or "preparing timber for building" (around the mid-13th to late 14th century). This is where we start to see the physical "structure" meaning emerge. If you think about preparing wood to build something, you're "framing" it in a sense.
The noun form of "frame" also appeared around 1200, initially meaning "profit" or "benefit," reflecting the older verb meaning.
By the mid-13th century, the noun also began to mean "a structure composed according to a plan."
Modern Meanings: From these beginnings, the various meanings of "frame" we use today developed:
The idea of a "sustaining part of a structure" (like a house frame) became common around 1400.
The sense of an "enclosing border" (like a picture frame) appeared around 1600.
The meaning of "to compose or devise" (like "framing a plan") is seen from the 1540s.
The more informal, slang sense of "to blame an innocent person" (as in "framing someone for a crime") is a much more recent development, appearing in the 1920s, likely from an earlier sense of fabricating a story.
So, in essence, "frame" started with the idea of moving forward or benefiting, then evolved to mean making or constructing things, and from there expanded to include the structures and borders we know today, as well as abstract ideas like a "frame of mind."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Frame
Frame of mind: A particular state of mind or mood.
Frame of reference: A set of criteria or values by which one judges things.
To frame a question: To formulate a question carefully.
To frame an argument: To construct a logical and persuasive argument.
To frame someone (for a crime): To make an innocent person appear guilty by providing false evidence.
Out of frame: Not visible within the boundaries of a picture or video.
To get in the frame: To become part of or enter into a picture or situation.
Picture frame: A decorative border for a picture.
Window frame: The structure holding a window.
Body frame: The skeletal structure of a person or animal.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of frame from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
