figure vs screw

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. 

screw

verb
  • To contort. 

  • To extort or practice extortion upon; to oppress by unreasonable or extortionate exactions; to put the screws on. 

  • To have sexual intercourse with. 

  • To screw back. 

  • To connect or assemble pieces using a screw. 

  • To cheat someone or ruin their chances in a game or other situation. 

  • To miskick (a ball) by hitting it with the wrong part of the foot. 

noun
  • Salary, wages. 

  • An extortioner; a sharp bargainer; a skinflint. 

  • A casual sexual partner. 

  • A prison guard. 

  • A simple machine, a helical inclined plane. 

  • Backspin. 

  • A straight line in space with which a definite linear magnitude termed the pitch is associated. It is used to express the displacement of a rigid body, which may always be made to consist of a rotation about an axis combined with a translation parallel to that axis. 

  • A small packet of tobacco. 

  • A ship's propeller. 

  • An Archimedes screw. 

  • The motion of screwing something; a turn or twist to one side. 

  • Rheumatism. 

  • A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a partially or completely threaded shank, sometimes with a threaded point, and a head used to both hold the top material and to drive the screw either directly into a soft material or into a prepared hole. 

  • A steam vessel propelled by a screw instead of wheels. 

  • Sexual intercourse; the act of screwing. 

  • An amphipod crustacean. 

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