contrivance vs mechanism

contrivance

noun
  • A (mechanical) device to perform a certain task. 

  • Something overly artful or artificial. 

  • A means, such as an elaborate plan or strategy, to accomplish a certain objective. 

mechanism

noun
  • Any combination of cams, gears, links, belts, chains and logical mechanical elements. 

  • Any process of, or system designed to manage useful energy conversion. 

  • A mental, physical, or chemical process. 

  • The theory that all natural phenomena can be explained by physical causes. 

  • Any mechanical means for the conversion or control of motion, or the transmission or control of power. 

  • A group of entities, such as objects, that interact together. 

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