cull vs gain

cull

verb
  • To pick or take someone or something (from a larger group). 

  • To select animals from a group and then kill them in order to reduce the numbers of the group in a controlled manner. 

  • To kill (animals etc). 

  • To lay off in order to reduce the size of, get rid of. 

  • To gather, collect. 

noun
  • A lobster having only one claw. 

  • A selection. 

  • An individual animal selected to be killed, or item of produce to be discarded. 

  • A piece unfit for inclusion within a larger group; an inferior specimen. 

  • An organised killing of selected animals. 

  • A fool, gullible person; a dupe. 

gain

verb
  • To be more likely to catch or overtake an individual. 

  • To increase. 

  • To reach. 

  • To draw into any interest or party; to win to one's side; to conciliate. 

  • To put on weight. 

  • To run fast. 

  • To acquire possession of. 

  • To have or receive advantage or profit; to acquire gain; to grow rich; to advance in interest, health, or happiness; to make progress. 

adv
  • Tolerably; fairly. 

  • Suitably; conveniently; dexterously; moderately. 

noun
  • The thing or things gained. 

  • The factor by which a signal is multiplied. 

  • The act of gaining; acquisition. 

  • A square or bevelled notch cut out of a girder, binding joist, or other timber which supports a floor beam, so as to receive the end of the floor beam. 

adj
  • Easy; tolerable; handy, dexterous. 

  • Honest; respectable; moderate; cheap. 

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