image vs thing

image

noun
  • An optical or other representation of a real object; a graphic; a picture. 

  • A statue or idol. 

  • What a function maps to. 

  • A file that contains all information needed to produce a live working copy. (See disk image and image copy.) 

  • A form of interference: a weaker "copy" of a strong signal that occurs at a different frequency. 

  • The subset of a codomain comprising those elements that are images of something. 

  • A mental picture of something not real or not present. 

  • A characteristic of a person, group or company etc., style, manner of dress, how one is or wishes to be perceived by others. 

verb
  • To create an image of. 

  • To create a complete backup copy of a file system or other entity. 

  • To represent by an image or symbol; to portray. 

  • To reflect, mirror. 

thing

noun
  • Corporeal object. 

  • A public assembly or judicial council in a Germanic country. 

  • A unit or container, usually containing edible goods. 

  • A problem, dilemma, or complicating factor. 

  • That which is considered to exist as a separate entity, object, quality or concept. 

  • A romantic relationship. 

  • Alternate form of ting. 

  • One's typical routine, habits, or manner. (Used in possessive constructions.) 

  • Used after a noun to refer dismissively to the situation surrounding the noun's referent. 

  • A genuine concept, entity or phenomenon; something that actually exists (often contrary to expectation or belief). 

  • An individual object or distinct entity. 

  • That which is favoured; personal preference. (Used in possessive constructions.) 

  • A living being or creature. 

  • A penis. 

  • Whatever can be owned. 

  • Girl; attractive woman. 

  • Clothes, possessions or equipment. 

  • That which matters; the crux. 

  • A romantic couple. 

  • A word, symbol, sign, or other referent that can be used to refer to any entity. 

verb
  • To express as a thing; to reify. 

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