meatgrinder vs shear

meatgrinder

noun
  • A device for cutting meat into very small pieces. 

  • An activity with a high casualty or attrition rate, such as a military battle or an occupational or athletic activity. 

  • The mountainous second day of the race was a real meatgrinder, with 20% of racers dropping out. 

  • A process that is likely to be injurious in a non-physical way. 

shear

noun
  • A cutting tool similar to scissors, but often larger. 

  • A large machine use for cutting sheet metal. 

  • The act of shearing, or something removed by shearing. 

  • Wind shear, or an instance thereof. 

  • A transformation that displaces every point in a direction parallel to some given line by a distance proportional to the point’s distance from the line. 

  • The response of a rock to deformation usually by compressive stress, resulting in particular textures. 

  • Forces that push in opposite directions. 

verb
  • To deform because of forces pushing in opposite directions. 

  • To make a vertical cut in coal. 

  • To cut, originally with a sword or other bladed weapon, now usually with shears, or as if using shears. 

  • To transform by displacing every point in a direction parallel to some given line by a distance proportional to the point’s distance from the line. 

  • To remove the fleece from a sheep etc. by clipping. 

  • To cut the hair of (a person). 

  • To deprive of property; to fleece. 

  • To reap, as grain. 

  • To change in direction or speed. 

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