curb vs stance

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. 

stance

noun
  • A place for buses or taxis to await passengers; a bus stop, a taxi rank. 

  • One's opinion or point of view. 

  • The manner, pose, or posture in which one stands. 

  • A place to stand; a position, a site, a station. 

  • A foothold or ledge on which to set up a belay. 

  • A place where a fair or market is held; a location where a street trader can carry on business. 

verb
  • To place, to position, to station; (specifically) to put (cattle) into an enclosure or pen in preparation for sale. 

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