false alarm vs mischance

false alarm

noun
  • A warning signal (such as the call of sentry, the ringing of a bell, or the shriek of a siren) which turns out to have been given erroneously. 

  • A thing or occurrence which initially causes fear, distress, etc. but which is subsequently recognized as being no cause for concern. 

mischance

noun
  • A mishap, an unlucky circumstance. 

  • Bad luck, misfortune. 

verb
  • To undergo (a misfortune); to suffer (something unfortunate). 

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