chord vs figure

chord

verb
  • To write chords for. 

  • To provide with musical chords or strings; to string; to tune. 

  • To accord; to harmonize together. 

noun
  • A straight line between two points of a curve. 

  • A section of subsidiary railway track that interconnects two primary tracks that cross at different levels, to permit traffic to flow between them. 

  • The distance between the leading and trailing edge of a wing, measured in the direction of the normal airflow. 

  • A keyboard shortcut that involves two or more distinct keypresses, such as Ctrl+M followed by P. 

  • An imaginary line from the luff of a sail to its leech. 

  • A harmonic set of three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. 

  • A horizontal member of a truss. 

  • A cord. 

  • An edge that is not part of a cycle but connects two vertices of the cycle. 

  • The string of a musical instrument. 

figure

verb
  • To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords. 

  • To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize. 

  • To calculate, to solve a mathematical problem. 

  • To enter into; to be a part of. 

  • To think, to assume, to suppose, to reckon. 

  • To embellish with design; to adorn with figures. 

  • To embellish. 

  • To come to understand. 

  • To be reasonable. 

noun
  • A visible pattern as in wood or cloth. 

  • A number, an amount. 

  • A drawing or diagram conveying information. 

  • A human figure, which dress or corset must fit to; the shape of a human body. 

  • A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a motif; a florid embellishment. 

  • The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term. 

  • A figure of speech. 

  • The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person. 

  • A person or thing representing a certain consciousness. 

  • A numeral. 

  • A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses. 

  • Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression. 

  • The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modelling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body. 

  • A shape. 

  • Any complex dance moveᵂ. 

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