Definition
verbTo fit, as for a specific end or purpose; make suitable or comfortable; adapt; adjust.
verbTo construct by fitting together or uniting various parts; fabricate by union of constituent parts.
Sentence Examples
The frame itself is worth more than the picture.
Marina Giles left England with her husband in just this frame of mind.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English framen, fremen, fremmen (“to construct, build, strengthen, refresh, perform, execute, profit, avail”), from Old English framian, fremian, fremman (“to profit, avail, advance”), from Proto-West Germanic *frammjan, from Proto-Germanic *framjaną (“to further, promote, perform”), from Proto-Indo-European *promo- (“front, forward”).
Cognate with Low German framen (“to commit, effect”), Danish fremme (“to promote, further, perform”), Swedish främja (“to promote, encourage, foster”), Icelandic fremja (“to commit”). More at from.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I will hereafter frame myself to be coy."
— 1578, John Lyly, Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit:
"frame my face to all occasions"
— c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
"We may in some measure frame our minds for the reception of happiness."
— 1828, Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations, Lord Brooke and Sir Philip Sidney:
"The human mind is framed to be influenced."
— 1832, [Isaac Taylor], Saturday Evening. […], London: Holdsworth and Ball, →OCLC:
"Nature that fram’d vs of foure Elements,
Warring within our breaſts for regiment,
Doth teach vs all to haue aſpyring minds:"
— c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vii: