curb vs runner

curb

noun
  • 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. 

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

verb
  • To rein in. 

  • To bend or curve. 

  • 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. 

runner

noun
  • A long, narrow carpet for a high traffic area such as a hall or stairs. 

  • Somebody who controls or manages (e.g. a system). 

  • A player who runs for a batsman who is too injured to run; he is dressed exactly as the injured batsman, and carries a bat. 

  • Anyone sent on an errand or with communications, especially for a bank (or, historically, a foot soldier responsible for carrying messages during war). 

  • A short sling with a carabiner on either end, used to link the climbing rope to a bolt or other protection such as a nut or friend. 

  • An automobile; a working or driveable automobile. 

  • A competitor in a poker tournament. 

  • A person or vessel who runs blockades or engages in smuggling. (Especially used in combination, e.g. gunrunner). 

  • Part of a shoe that is stitched to the bottom of the upper so it can be glued to the sole. 

  • A speedrunner. 

  • An employee of a sports agent who tries to recruit possible player clients for the agent. 

  • A quick escape away from a scene. 

  • A type of soft-soled shoe originally intended for runners. 

  • A rope to increase the power of a tackle. 

  • A person who moves, on foot, at a fast pace, especially an athlete. 

  • Any entrant, person or animal (especially a horse), for a race or any competition; a candidate for an election. 

  • An idea or plan that has potential to be adopted or put into operation. 

  • A part of a cigarette that is burning unevenly. 

  • A baserunner. 

  • One who runs away; a deserter or escapee. 

  • The blade of an ice skate. 

  • The channel or strip on which a drawer is opened and closed. 

  • Part of a mechanism which allows something to be pulled out for maintenance. 

  • The curved base of a rocking chair. 

  • In saddlery, a loop of metal through which a rein is passed. 

  • In molding, a channel cut in a mold. 

  • The rotating-stone of a grinding-mill. 

  • The movable piece to which the ribs of an umbrella are attached. 

  • A tool in which lenses are fastened for polishing. 

  • A long stolon sent out by a plant (such as strawberry), in order to root new plantlets, or a plant that propagates by using such runners. 

  • A running gag 

  • A part of an apparatus that moves quickly. 

  • A smooth strip on which a sledge runs. 

  • A leaping food fish (Elagatis pinnulatis) of Florida and the West Indies; the skipjack, shoemaker, or yellowtail. 

  • A restaurant employee responsible for taking food from the kitchens to the tables. 

  • A person hired by a gambling establishment to locate potential customers and bring them in. 

  • A person (from one or the other team) who runs out onto the field during the game to take verbal instructions from the coach to the players. A runner mustn't interfere with play, and may have to wear an identifying shirt to make clear his or her purpose on the field. 

  • A strip of fabric used to decorate or protect a table or dressing table. 

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