axe vs execute

axe

verb
  • To lay off, terminate or drastically reduce, especially in a rough or ruthless manner; to cancel. 

  • To furnish with an axle. 

  • To fell or chop with an axe. 

noun
  • A position, interest, or reason in buying and selling stock, often with ulterior motives. 

  • An ancient weapon consisting of a head that has one or two blades and a long handle. 

  • A dismissal or rejection. 

  • A tool for felling trees or chopping wood etc. consisting of a heavy head flattened to a blade on one side, and a handle attached to it. 

  • A drastic reduction or cutback. 

  • A gigging musician's particular instrument, especially a guitar in rock music or a saxophone in jazz. 

execute

verb
  • To carry out; to put into effect. 

  • To run, usually successfully. 

  • Coordinate term: murder 

  • To perform. 

  • To kill, especially as punishment for a capital crime. 

  • To carry out, to perform an act; to put into effect or cause to become legally binding or valid (as a contract) by so doing. 

  • To start, launch or run 

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