caltrop vs pitfall

caltrop

noun
  • A small, metal object with spikes arranged so that, when thrown onto the ground, one always faces up as a threat to pedestrians, horses, and vehicles. 

  • The starthistle, Centaurea calcitrapa, a plant with sharp thorns. 

  • The same object represented as a heraldic charge. 

  • Any of a number of flowering plants in the family Zygophyllaceae, including several members of the genus Kallstroemia and the species Tribulus terrestris, native to warm temperate and tropical regions. 

pitfall

noun
  • Subsidence below ground in a mine, which can cause the ground level above to drop. 

  • A potential, unsuspected, hidden problem, hazard, or danger that is easily encountered but not immediately obvious. 

  • A type of trap consisting of a concealed pit in the ground, which the victim is supposed to fall into and not be able to get out from. 

  • An antipattern. 

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