cable vs cord

cable

noun
  • An assembly of two or more wires, used for electrical power or data circuits; one or more and/or the whole may be insulated. 

  • 100 fathoms, 600 imperial feet, approximately 185 m. 

  • A strong rope or chain used to moor or anchor a ship. 

  • An assembly of two or more cable-laid ropes. 

  • The currency pair British Pound against United States Dollar. 

  • A strong, large-diameter wire or rope, or something resembling such a rope. 

  • A telegram, notably when sent by (submarine) telegraph cable. 

  • A system for transmitting television or Internet services over a network of coaxial or fibreoptic cables. 

  • A unit of length equal to one tenth of a nautical mile. 

  • A textural pattern achieved by passing groups of stitches over one another. 

  • A moulding, shaft of a column, or any other member of convex, rounded section, made to resemble the spiral twist of a rope. 

verb
  • To communicate by cable 

  • To provide with cable(s) 

  • To ornament with cabling. 

  • To wrap wires to form a cable 

  • To fasten (as if) with cable(s) 

  • To create cable stitches. 

  • To send a telegram, news, etc., by cable 

cord

noun
  • A small flexible electrical conductor composed of wires insulated separately or in bundles and assembled together usually with an outer cover; the electrical cord of a lamp, sweeper ((US) vacuum cleaner), or other appliance. 

  • Any influence by which persons are caught, held, or drawn, as if by a cord. 

  • A long, thin, flexible length of twisted yarns (strands) of fiber (rope, for example); (uncountable) such a length of twisted strands considered as a commodity. 

  • A unit of measurement for firewood, equal to 128 cubic feet (4 × 4 × 8 feet), composed of logs and/or split logs four feet long and none over eight inches diameter. It is usually seen as a stack four feet high by eight feet long. 

  • Any structure having the appearance of a cord, especially a tendon or nerve. 

verb
  • To arrange (wood, etc.) in a pile for measurement by the cord. 

  • To furnish with cords 

  • To tie or fasten with cords 

  • To flatten a book during binding 

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