Framing
/ˈfreɪmɪŋ/
Definitions
3 meaningsThe act or process of constructing or providing with a frame, or the structural work of a building.
/ˈfreɪmɪŋ/
The act or process of constructing a frame.
The framing of the building was done with precision.
💡 Simply: Imagine building the skeleton of a house - that's framing! It's the structure that holds everything together, like the first lines of a drawing that sets the stage.
👶 For kids: Making the shape of something, like making the wooden parts of a house!
More Examples
The artist was very particular about the framing of the painting.
The carpenter was skilled at framing houses.
How It's Used
"The framing of the house was completed in a week."
"The framing of the photograph was excellent."
The way in which something is presented or perceived; the deliberate construction of a narrative or argument to influence interpretation.
/ˈfreɪmɪŋ/
The presentation of information in a particular way.
The framing of the debate highlighted the key issues.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're telling a story. Framing is how you choose to tell the story, what details you include, and how you make your audience feel about it. Are you focusing on the positive or the negative?
👶 For kids: How you tell a story or show something to make people think about it in a certain way!
More Examples
The news outlet used a specific framing to portray the event.
The lawyer carefully considered the framing of his argument.
How It's Used
"The politician's framing of the issue was designed to win support."
"The media's framing of the story influenced public opinion."
Presenting something in a particular way, or constructing within a frame.
/ˈfreɪmɪŋ/
The action of constructing something within a frame, or presenting information in a specific way.
The author's skill lay in the framing of his characters.
💡 Simply: Framing can mean literally putting a picture in a frame, but also how you shape and describe something. Like when you emphasize certain aspects of an event to make a point or build a narrative, or when you are putting together the frame of a building.
👶 For kids: When you're building something that needs a frame, or showing something in a certain way so people understand it in a certain way.
More Examples
The carpenters are in the process of framing the house's new extension.
She excelled at framing difficult concepts in simple terms.
How It's Used
"The journalist was criticized for framing the story unfairly."
"The carpenters are currently framing the roof."
Idioms & expressions
reframe the situation
To look at a situation from a new angle or perspective.
"Let's try to reframe the situation to see if we can find a more optimistic solution."
put in a frame
To enclose something in a literal frame, or to present something in a specific way
"They decided to put the artwork in a nice gold frame."
From Middle English *framynge*, a derivative of the verb "frame", from Old English *framian* ("to be of profit, benefit, effect, perform, do"), from Proto-Germanic *framōjaną*. Cognate with German *rahmen*.
The term "framing" has been used in construction since the Middle Ages, describing the skeleton of a building. Its use as a rhetorical device and in media studies is more recent.
Memory tip
Think of the wooden skeleton that defines a building's shape or the borders that enhance a piece of art.