verb
frame
To falsely make someone appear guilty of wrongdoing.
The thief plants stolen jewelry in her locker to frame her.
Etymology
Frame means to construct or arrange. The criminal sense applies that action to arranging false evidence or circumstances so that someone appears guilty.
More examples
- Someone framed him for a robbery he never committed.
- She discovers that her coworker is framing her for stealing company funds.
- The altered records prove that someone tried to frame the accountant.
Forms
frame · frames · framed · framing
Similar words
- incriminate
- Makes someone appear guilty, but the evidence need not be false.
- implicate
- Connects people to wrongdoing without necessarily fabricating evidence against them.