award vs recompense

award

verb
  • To give (an award). 

  • To determine; to make or grant an award. 

  • To give by sentence or judicial determination; to assign or apportion, after careful regard to the nature of the case. 

  • To give (a person) an award. 

noun
  • A negotiated set of employment conditions and minimum wages for a particular trade or industry; an industrial award. 

  • A judgment, sentence, or final decision. Specifically: The decision of arbitrators in a case submitted. 

  • The paper containing the decision of arbitrators; that which is warded. 

  • A trophy or medal; something that denotes an accomplishment, especially in a competition. A prize or honor based on merit. 

recompense

verb
  • To give (something) in return; to pay back; to pay, as something earned or deserved. 

  • To reward or repay (someone) for something done, given etc. 

  • To give compensation for an injury, or other type of harm or damage. 

noun
  • An equivalent returned for anything given, done, or suffered; compensation; reward; amends; requital. 

  • That which compensates for an injury, or other type of harm or damage. 

How often have the words award and recompense occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )