figure vs kernel

figure

verb
  • To embellish. 

  • To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize. 

  • To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords. 

  • To calculate, to solve a mathematical problem. 

  • To enter into; to be a part of. 

  • To think, to assume, to suppose, to reckon. 

  • To embellish with design; to adorn with figures. 

  • To come to understand. 

  • To be reasonable. 

noun
  • A visible pattern as in wood or cloth. 

  • A number, an amount. 

  • A drawing or diagram conveying information. 

  • A human figure, which dress or corset must fit to; the shape of a human body. 

  • A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a motif; a florid embellishment. 

  • The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term. 

  • A figure of speech. 

  • The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person. 

  • A person or thing representing a certain consciousness. 

  • A numeral. 

  • A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses. 

  • Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression. 

  • The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modelling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body. 

  • A shape. 

  • Any complex dance moveᵂ. 

kernel

verb
  • To crenellate 

  • To enclose within a kernel 

noun
  • The human clitoris. 

  • The nucleus and electrons of an atom excluding its valence electrons. 

  • For a category with zero morphisms: the equalizer of a given morphism and the zero morphism which is parallel to that given morphism. 

  • A set of pairs of a mapping's domain which are mapped to the same value. 

  • A single seed or grain, especially of corn or wheat. 

  • A small mass around which other matter is concreted; a nucleus; a concretion or hard lump in the flesh. 

  • The set of members of a fuzzy set that are fully included (i.e., whose grade of membership is 1). 

  • The core, center, or essence of an object or system. 

  • The central part of many computer operating systems which manages the system's resources and the communication between hardware and software components. 

  • The stone of certain fruits, such as peaches or plums. 

  • A function used to define an integral transform. 

  • The core engine of any complex software system. 

  • The central (usually edible) part of a nut, especially once the hard shell has been removed. 

  • For a given function (especially a linear map between vector spaces), the set of elements in the domain which are mapped to zero; (formally) given f : X → Y, the set {x ∈ X : f(x) = 0}. 

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