bulwark vs linchpin

bulwark

verb
  • To provide protection of defense for something. 

  • To fortify something with a wall or rampart. 

noun
  • A defensive wall or rampart. 

  • A defense or safeguard. 

  • A breakwater. 

  • Any means of defence or security. 

  • The planking or plating along the sides of a nautical vessel above her gunwale that reduces the likelihood of seas washing over the gunwales and people being washed overboard. 

linchpin

verb
  • To adopt as, or serve as, a central cohesive source of stability and security. 

noun
  • A central cohesive source of stability and security; a person or thing that is critical to a system or organisation. 

  • A pin inserted through holes at the end of an axle or shaft, so as to secure a wheel or shaft-mounted device. 

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