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Glite Dictionary
to frame in

to frame in

1 4.5
Surround a space or object on all sides to enclose it
  • phrasal verb
  • /freɪm ɪn/
translation icon : enmarcar
  • There were paintings on the dining room wall framed in gold with lights above them.

Oh, I have real quick a picture that I had framed in my room.

Examples

  • The picturesque mountain view was perfectly framed in the window of their cozy cabin.

  • Chantal has risen from the futon and stands framed in a halo of flickering light.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Michael looked back at the mother and daughter, carefully framed in the green mouth of the door.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Actually, there is a full House cast picture framed in our hallway at Call Me at Call Me Cat.

  • I kept that picture of those wonderful firemen and have it framed in my office.

    Blog text (12)

  • Prints of horses, matted in dark green and framed in gold, were hung upon the walls.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Its massive porticoed entry doors, framed in brightest white, double as a portal to another time.

    Blog text (12)

  • Once the operation starts, my concentration is complete, my only concern the child's face, framed in blue towels and bathed in bright light.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • And suddenly, two men of the Guardia Civil stood framed in the arched doorway.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • I looked up at Forrest—framed in a headdress of dark, rustling leaves—trying to figure this out.

    Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

to frame
vsto frame in
82 1.9

To put a picture or photo in a border for display

focuses on plain enclosing rather than decorative edging
to border
vsto frame in
12 3.1

To add a decorative edge around something

means enclosing in place rather than mainly decorating the outer edge
to enframe
vsto frame in
8.8

To put something inside a border in a photo or painting to make it stand out

is about enclosing something not necessarily adding emphasis or display

How Elaborate

to trim
19 4.1
to border
12 3.1
to frame in
1 4.5
to mount
125 3.8

Surface Forms

frame in infinitive
framed in past
framed in past participle
framing in present participle
frames in third person singular

Morphology

frame + in

The meaning 'to enclose something in or as if in a frame' is directly and transparently derived from 'frame' (to place inside a border or mount) combined with 'in' (indicating position inside boundaries). This verb + preposition composition follows common English patterns and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The verb frame in comes from the simple image of putting a frame around a picture so the picture sits in it. That's why to frame in something means 'to enclose' or to surround it closely.