groaning vs wail

groaning

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

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

  • That groans. 

wail

noun
  • Any similar sound as of lamentation; a howl. 

  • A sound made by emergency vehicle sirens, contrasted with "yelp" which is higher-pitched and faster. 

  • A prolonged cry, usually high-pitched, especially as of grief or anguish. 

verb
  • To lament; to bewail; to grieve over. 

  • To make a noise like mourning or crying. 

  • To weep, lament persistently or bitterly. 

  • To cry out, as in sorrow or anguish. 

  • To perform with great liveliness and force. 

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