groaning vs howl

groaning

noun
  • A low sound associated with extended suffering, sorrow, and toil. 

adj
  • Heavily laden, as if to creak under the strain. 

  • That groans. 

howl

noun
  • A prolonged cry of distress or anguish; a wail. 

  • Any similar sound. 

  • The protracted, mournful cry of a dog, wolf or other canid; also of other animals. 

verb
  • To make a noise resembling the cry of a wild beast. 

  • To utter a loud, protracted, mournful sound or cry, as dogs and wolves often do. 

  • To utter a sound expressive of pain or distress; to cry aloud and mournfully; to lament; to wail. 

  • To utter with outcry. 

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