frame

FRAYM/fɹeɪm/

Pluralframes

Verbframes, framing, framed

36 meanings of frame

Practice

1
skeleton (building)nouncountable
The strong inner structure that holds something up and gives it its shape.
Like the bones inside a body that hold everything up.
Workers raised the steel frame of the new tower.
The house's wooden frame went up in just two weeks.
Similarframework, skeleton, structure, chassis
2
picture bordernouncountable
A stiff border, often a rectangle, that holds paper, canvas, or cloth in place.
Like a window that holds a picture so you can see it.
She put the photo in a wooden frame.
The artist stretched the canvas tightly over a frame.
3
body buildnouncountable
The size and shape of a person's body.
The heavy coat hung loosely on his thin frame.
Years of swimming gave her a strong, athletic frame.
UsageSay a small frame or a big frame.
Similarbuild, physique
Note
4
put behind glassverbtransitive
To put a picture inside a border so you can hang it or show it.
She framed the watercolor and hung it in the hallway.
He wants to frame the old family photo for his desk.
Similarmount
5
falsely accuseverbtransitive
To make someone look guilty of a crime they did not do.
Like leaving your fingerprints on a toy so a friend gets blamed for the mess.
They tried to frame him for the robbery.
Someone framed her by hiding stolen goods in her car.
UsageSay someone was framed for a crime.
Similarincriminate, implicate
Oppositeexonerate, clear, vindicate
6
movie stillnouncountable
One picture on a strip of camera film, or one of the many pictures that make up a movie or video.
She held the negative up and pointed to her favorite frame.
Each frame on the roll captured a different moment of the parade.
Similarexposure, shot, image, still
Note
7
fit in viewverbtransitive
To arrange something inside the edges of a picture or view.
The photographer framed the mountain in the center of the shot.
Try to frame the whole group in one picture.
Similarcompose, position
8
present asverbtransitive
To say or present something in a way that makes people see it a certain way.
Politicians often frame tax cuts as a benefit for working families.
The reporter framed the story as a tale of survival.
UsageSay frame something as good or bad.
Similarpresent, cast, portray, depict
Note
9
perspectivenouncountable
A way of looking at something that helps you understand it.
Like a pair of glasses that changes how you see things.
Her comments gave us a new frame for thinking about the problem.
Within that frame, his strange decision suddenly made sense.
Similarperspective, lens, framework, context, viewpoint
10
build structureverbtransitive
To build something by joining its parts together, especially the frame of a house.
Like putting up the bones of a body before adding the skin.
It takes a good crew to frame a shed in two days.
They framed the new garage in just two days.
Similarbuild, construct, erect, assemble
11
draw upverbtransitive
To plan or put something together in an orderly way.
The committee will frame a new set of rules this year.
Lawmakers framed the policy over several months.
UsageSay frame a rule or frame a question.
Similardraft, formulate, devise, compose, craft
Note
12
data packetnouncountable
A small block of data sent as one unit over a network.
Like putting a letter in an addressed envelope before mailing it.
The router checks each frame before passing it along.
A damaged frame is simply sent again.
Note

Less common meanings

13
bowling turnnouncountable
In bowling, a turn that is usually two throws, with the pins counted together as one score.
Like one round of a game where your points are added up before the next round.
He bowled a strike in the very first frame.
You add up the pins from both throws in a single frame.
Note
14
moodnoundatedcountable
The mood or state of mind someone is in.
And I partook of the infinite calm in which she lay: my mind was never in a holier frame than while I gazed on that untroubled image of Divine rest.
1847, Emily Brontë, Wuthering HeightsHere, frame means a mood or state of mind.
to be always in a happy frame
UsageSay frame of mind: I'm in a happy frame of mind.
Similarmood, disposition, temper, humor, state
Note
15
inning (baseball)nounslangcountable
In baseball, one of the main parts of a game, also called an inning.
Like one round in a game where each team gets a turn.
The home team scored twice in the final frame.
Our pitcher held them scoreless for six frames.
UsageSay the ninth frame; official records say inning.
Similarinning
16
web page panelnouncountable
A part of a webpage that you can scroll on its own.
Like a small window inside a bigger window that moves on its own.
You can scroll the side frame without moving the rest of the page.
The menu sits in a frame on the left side.
Similarpane, panel
17
snooker gamenouncountable
In snooker, one complete game, from the first shot until the balls have been potted.
Like a single game inside a longer match: win enough games and you win overall.
He won the first frame with a break of fifty.
The match came down to one final frame.
Similargame
Note
18
textile machinenoundatedUKcountable
A machine built on or inside a framework, such as an old knitting or spinning machine.
Like an old sewing machine, but much bigger and built on a sturdy stand.
The weaver worked at his frame from dawn until dusk.
A single worker could run each frame in the mill.
Note
19
plant shelternouncountable
A movable cover that protects plants while they grow.
Like a little greenhouse you can move around the garden.
She started the seedlings under a frame in early spring.
The gardener built a frame to keep frost off the lettuce.
UsageGardeners often say cold frame.
Note
20
edge hit (tennis)verbtransitive
In tennis, to hit the ball with the edge of the racquet instead of the strings, usually by mistake.
Like hitting a nail with the side of the hammer instead of the flat top.
She framed the ball and it flew over the fence.
Beginners often frame the ball when they swing too late.
Similarmishit, shank
Note
21
noundatedcountable
In older video games, a single stage or level.
Hunchback looks very good, bright, cheerful and with a loud tune. I think it could have had a bit more sound during the frame though.
1984, "Hunchback" (video game review) in CrashHere, frame means a stage or area the player moves through in a game.
When you play the game it will draw a set pattern depending on the frame you are on, with random additions to the pattern, to give a different orchard each time.
1982, Gilsoft International, Mongoose (video game instructions) [ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-info/m/Mongoose.txt]
Similarlevel, stage, screen, round
Note
22
nounrare
In bowling, the full set of pins standing in place, ready to be knocked down.
In knockemdowns and bowls ten pins are used, the centre one being called the king, and the ball has to be grounded before it reaches the frame.
1878, John Henry Walsh, British Rural Sports
23
noun
In genetics, a way of reading DNA in groups of three letters at a time.
24
noun
In computing, a way of storing facts about something so a program can use them.
25
noun
In stamp collecting, the border around the middle picture of a stamp or postmark.
26
verbdialectal
To wash crushed rock that contains metal on a sloping board.
27
verbdialectal
To go somewhere or go away.
28
verbobsolete
To travel to a place.
The beautie of this ſinfull Dame, / Made many Princes thither frame, / To ſeeke her as a bedfellow, / In maryage pleaſures, playfellow:
c. 1607, William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?]
29
verbobsolete
To make someone stronger or feel better.
30
verbobsolete
To do something.
The silken tackle / Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands / That yarely frame the office.
c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”
31
verbobsolete
To make something happen.
Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds.
1591, William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt,”
32
verbobsolete
To be useful or helpful.
33
verbobsolete
To match or go well together.
When thou hast turned them all ways, and done thy best to hew them and to make them frame, thou must be fain to cast them out.
1531, William Tyndale, An Answer unto Sir Thomas More's Dialogue
34
verbobsolete
To get something done that you were trying to do.
35
nounobsolete
Making secret plans or plots.
John the bastard / Whose spirits toil in frame of villainies.
1598, William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”
36
noun
In math, a special kind of ordered structure.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of frame apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 4–5, 7–8, 10–11, 20

From an Old English verb meaning to profit, help, or perform. It comes from older Germanic roots meaning to further or promote.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Frame descends from Old English verbs with senses of profiting or helping. en.wiktionary.org
Its Old English ancestry also includes a verb meaning to perform. en.wiktionary.org
Its older Germanic ancestry includes a verb meaning to further or promote. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 1–3, 6, 9, 12–19, 21

From a Middle English word meaning profit or a planned structure, partly from the verb and partly from Old Norse. The 'framework' sense is of uncertain origin.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

The noun comes from Middle English frame, meaning profit or a planned structure, partly from the verb and partly from Old Norse. en.wiktionary.org
The framework sense has an uncertain origin. en.wiktionary.org