cause vs impact

cause

noun
  • The source of, or reason for, an event or action; that which produces or effects a result. 

  • Sufficient reason for a state, as of emotion. 

  • A goal, aim or principle, especially one which transcends purely selfish ends. 

  • A suit or action in court; any legal process by which a party endeavors to obtain his claim, or what he regards as his right; case; ground of action. 

verb
  • To actively produce as a result, by means of force or authority. 

  • To set off an event or action. 

impact

noun
  • A significant or strong influence or effect. 

  • A forced impinging. 

  • The striking of one body against another; collision. 

  • The force or energy of a collision of two objects. 

verb
  • To stamp or impress onto something. 

  • To collide or strike, the act of impinging. 

  • To significantly or strongly influence or affect; to have an impact on. 

  • To compress; to compact; to press into something or pack together. 

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