bend vs curb

bend

verb
  • To become curved. 

  • To stoop. 

  • To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means. 

  • To cause to change direction. 

  • To change direction. 

  • To force to submit. 

  • To submit. 

  • To apply oneself to a task or purpose. 

  • To tie, as in securing a line to a cleat; to shackle a chain to an anchor; make fast. 

  • To adapt or interpret to for a purpose or beneficiary. 

  • To apply to a task or purpose. 

  • To smoothly change the pitch of a note. 

  • To be inclined; to direct itself. 

  • To bow in prayer, or in token of submission. 

  • To swing the body when rowing. 

noun
  • The thickest and strongest planks in a ship's sides, more generally called wales, which have the beams, knees, and futtocks bolted to them. 

  • Hard, indurated clay; bind. 

  • In the leather trade, the best quality of sole leather; a butt; sometimes, half a butt cut lengthwise. 

  • A curve. 

  • The frames or ribs that form the ship's body from the keel to the top of the sides. 

  • Any of the various knots which join the ends of two lines. 

  • One of the honourable ordinaries formed by two diagonal lines drawn from the dexter chief to the sinister base; it generally occupies a fifth part of the shield if uncharged, but if charged one third. 

  • A severe condition caused by excessively quick decompression, causing bubbles of nitrogen to form in the blood; decompression sickness. 

  • A glissando, or glide between one pitch and another. 

curb

verb
  • To bend or curve. 

  • To rein in. 

  • To furnish with a curb, as a well; to restrain by a curb, as a bank of earth. 

  • To crouch; to cringe. 

  • To damage vehicle wheels or tires by running into or over a pavement curb. 

  • To check, restrain or control. 

  • To bring to a stop beside a curb. 

noun
  • Something that checks or restrains; a restraint. 

  • A swelling on the back part of the hind leg of a horse, just behind the lowest part of the hock joint, generally causing lameness. 

  • A concrete margin along the edge of a road; a kerb (UK, Australia, New Zealand) 

  • A riding or driving bit for a horse that has rein action which amplifies the pressure in the mouth by leverage advantage placing pressure on the poll via the crown piece of the bridle and chin groove via a curb chain. 

  • A sidewalk, covered or partially enclosed, bordering the airport terminal road system with adjacent paved areas to permit vehicles to off-load or load passengers. 

  • A raised margin along the edge of something, such as a well or the eye of a dome, as a strengthening. 

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