groove vs kerf

groove

noun
  • A long, narrow channel or depression; e.g., such a slot cut into a hard material to provide a location for an engineering component, a tyre groove, or a geological channel or depression. 

  • A shaft or excavation. 

  • A racing line, a path across the racing circuit's surface that a racecar will usually track on. (Note: There may be multiple grooves on any particular circuit or segment of circuit) 

  • The middle of the strike zone in baseball where a pitch is most easily hit. 

  • A fixed routine. 

  • A pronounced, enjoyable rhythm. 

verb
  • To perform, dance to, or enjoy rhythmic music. 

  • To cut a groove or channel in; to form into channels or grooves; to furrow. 

kerf

noun
  • The groove or slit created by cutting or sawing something; an incision. 

  • The portion or quantity (e.g. of wood, hay, turf, wool, etc.) removed or cut off in a given stroke. 

  • The distance between diverging saw teeth. 

  • The flattened, cut-off end of a branch or tree; a stump or sawn-off cross-section. 

verb
  • To cut a piece of wood or other material with several kerfs to allow it to be bent. 

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