frame
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making up a cinema film 6 a complete stage of play in the games of SNOOKER and BOWLING ➔ see also CLIMBING FRAME
frame² v [T] 1 to surround with a solid protecting edge; put a border round: *I'm having this picture framed, so that I can hang it on the wall.* | (fig.) *A large hat framed the girl's pretty face.* | (fig.) *He was standing there, framed in the light of the doorway.* 2 to give shape to (words, sentences, ideas etc); express; FORMULATE: *An examiner must frame his questions clearly.* | *The government is framing a new bill to control gambling.* 3 [(up)] infml to cause (someone) to seem guilty of a crime by means of carefully planned but untrue statements or proofs: *He's been framed! I know that he's innocent.* ➔ see also FRAME-UP
frame of 'mind n pl. frames of mind [C usually sing.] the state or condition of one's mind or feelings at a particular time: *I'm in the wrong frame of mind to make a decision now.*
frame of 'reference n pl. frames of reference a set or system of accepted facts, ideas, standards etc, which help one to make clear the meaning of a statement, judgment etc
frames /freɪmz/ n [P] the metal or plastic part of GLASSES that hold the lenses (LENS): *I like your new frames.* | *These frames cost ten dollars more than my old ones.*
'frame-up n infml a carefully prepared plan to make someone appear guilty of a crime: *As a result of a frame-up, he served a sentence for a crime he did not commit.* ➔ see also FRAME²
frame-work /'freɪmwɜːk||-wɜːrk/ n a supporting frame; structure: *The block of office buildings was built of concrete on a steel framework.* | (fig.) *These political strikes threaten to destroy the whole framework of our democracy.*
franc /fræŋk/ n the standard unit of money in various countries, and used in France and Belgium before the EURO was introduced
France /frɑːns||fræns/ a country in western Europe and a member of the EU. Population: 60,700,000 (2001). Capital: Paris. France is known especially for its art, good food, and fine wines, and many British people go there on holiday. People from France are called French.
fran·chise¹ /'fræntʃaɪz/ n 1 [the] the right to vote in a public election, especially one held to choose a parliament: *In England, women were given the franchise in 1918.* 2 [C] a special right given or sold by a company to one person or group of people that allows that person or group to sell the company's goods or services in a particular place: *That fast food business has expanded all over the world through the sale of franchises.*
franchise² v [T] to give or sell a FRANCHISE
Fran·cis, Dick /'frɑːnsɪs||'fræn-/ (1920-) a British writer who used to be a professional JOCKEY (=someone who rides horses in races). His books are THRILLERS (=exciting stories about crimes and murders) about people who work in the HORSE RACING business.
Fran·cis·can /fræn'sɪskən/ n 1 the Franciscans [P] a Christian religious group begun by St FRANCIS OF ASSISI in 1209, whose members live a holy life according to strict rules 2 [C] a member of this group —Franciscan adj
Francis of As·si·si, St /frɑːnsɪs əv ə'siːsi||fræn-/ (1182-1226) an Italian Christian leader who started the Franciscan ORDER (=a group of religious men who live and pray together). He is known for his love of nature, and is often shown in pictures surrounded by birds and animals.
Francis Xa·vi·er, St /frɑːnsɪs 'zeɪvɪə||fræn-/ (1506-52) a Spanish Christian MISSIONARY (=someone who goes to a foreign country to teach people about Christianity) who travelled to India, southeast Asia, and Japan, and who helped to start the JESUIT ORDER (=a Roman Catholic group of missionary priests, which is also called the Society of Jesus) ➔ see also IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA
Franco- /fræŋkə/ prefix 1 of France: a Francophile (=someone who loves France) 2 French and: the Franco-Belgian border
Fran·co, Fran·cis·co /'fræŋkəʊ, fræn'sɪskə/ (1892-1975) a Spanish military leader and RIGHT-WING politician. He led the Nationalist side in the SPANISH CIVIL WAR (1936-39), and ruled Spain as a DICTATOR until his death.
Fran·come, John /'fræŋkəm/ (1952-) a British JOCKEY who was Champion Jockey in National Hunt racing seven times
in the 1970s and 1980s. After he stopped racing he became a successful TRAINER and broadcaster. He has also written several NOVELS.
frank¹ /fræŋk/ adj often apprec open and direct in speech or manner; plain and honest and not trying to hide the truth: *He's an extremely frank person.* | *If you want my frank opinion, I don't think the plan will succeed.* | *To be perfectly frank (with you), I think you have very little chance of getting the job.* ➔ see also FRANKLY —ness n [U] *I appreciate your frankness.* | *With refreshing frankness*
frank² n AmE abbrev. for FRANKFURTER
frank³ v [T] BrE to print a sign on (a letter) to show that the charge for posting has been paid: *Companies that send out a lot of letters save time by using a franking machine.* || *franked envelopes* ➔ see also POSTAGE METER
Frank, Anne (1929-45) a Jewish girl from Germany, who went to live in Holland with her family to escape from the NAZIS. She wrote a famous DIARY, in which she describes her life while she and her family were hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam. The family was eventually discovered, and sent to the CONCENTRATION CAMP at BELSEN, where most of them were killed. Her diary was published (PUBLISH) after her death.
Fran·ken, Al /'fræŋkən, æl/ (1951-) a US COMEDIAN and writer. He has performed and written for TV COMEDY programmes, and he has also written several books, including Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right. Fox News Network tried to SUE him for this book, saying that they owned the phrase 'fair and balanced,' but they lost the case. ➔ see also O'REILLY, BILL
Fran·ken·stein /'fræŋkənˌstaɪn/ a novel by Mary SHELLEY, which was PUBLISHED in 1818 and tells the story of a scientist, called Frankenstein, who makes a creature by joining together bits of dead bodies and then brings it to life by passing an electric current through its body. The creature is gentle at first, but later becomes violent and attacks its maker. People sometimes mistakenly call the creature Frankenstein, instead of the scientist who made it. The story is very popular and has been made into many films.
frank·fur·ter /'fræŋkfɜːtə||-ɜːrt-/ also frank, Wiener AmE infml — n a small reddish smoked SAUSAGE, used especially in HOT DOGS
frank·in·cense /'fræŋkɪnsens/ n [U] a sticky substance obtained from certain trees which is burnt to give a sweet smell, used especially at religious ceremonies ➔ see also gold, frankincense, and myrrh (GOLD)
Frank·lin, A-re-tha /'fræŋklɪn, ə'riːθə/ (1942-) a US singer known as the 'Queen of Soul' whose songs include Respect and Chain of Fools ➔ see colour photo on page A31
Franklin, Ben·ja·min /'bendʒəmɪn/ (1706-90) a US politician, writer, and scientist. Franklin was involved in writing the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE and the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. He is famous for proving that LIGHTNING is a form of electricity by doing a scientific test in which he flew a KITE during a storm, and he invented the LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR. He is also known for writing Poor Richard's Almanack (1732-57).
frank·ly /'fræŋkli/ adv 1 in an open and honest manner 2 speaking honestly and plainly: *Frankly, I don't think your chances of getting the job are very good.*
fran·tic /'fræntɪk/ adj 1 in an uncontrolled state of feeling; wildly anxious, afraid, happy etc: *The mother was frantic when she heard that her child was missing.* | The
Benjamin Franklin