foundation vs linchpin

foundation

noun
  • The result of the work to begin something; that which stabilizes and allows an enterprise or system to develop. 

  • The lowest and supporting part or member of a wall, including the base course and footing courses; in a frame house, the whole substructure of masonry. 

  • A donation or legacy appropriated to support a charitable institution, and constituting a permanent fund; endowment. 

  • A basis for social bodies or intellectual disciplines. 

  • The act of founding, fixing, establishing, or beginning to erect. 

  • That which is founded, or established by endowment; an endowed institution or charity. 

  • Cosmetic cream roughly skin-colored, designed to make the face appear uniform in color and texture. 

  • That upon which anything is founded; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported; the lowest and supporting layer of a superstructure; underbuilding. 

  • In solitaire or patience games, one of the piles of cards that the player attempts to build, usually holding all cards of a suit in ascending order. 

linchpin

noun
  • A central cohesive source of stability and security; a person or thing that is critical to a system or organisation. 

  • A pin inserted through holes at the end of an axle or shaft, so as to secure a wheel or shaft-mounted device. 

verb
  • To adopt as, or serve as, a central cohesive source of stability and security. 

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