Английский Этимологический словарь - frame (v.)

- O.E. framian "to profit, be helpful, make progress," from fram "forward," influenced by O.E. fremman "help forward, promote," and by O.N. fremja "to further, execute." Sense focused in M.E. from "make ready" to "prepare timber for building." Meaning of "compose, devise" is pre-1400; that of "fabricate a story with evil intent" is first attested 1514. The noun meaning "border or case for a picture or pane of glass" is from 1600.