operant vs wick

operant

noun
  • An operative person or thing. 

  • Any of a class of behaviors that produce consequences by operating (i.e., acting) upon the environment. 

adj
  • That operates to produce an effect. 

wick

noun
  • A corner of the mouth or eye. 

  • (Usually plural) The parts of weed roots that remain viable in the ground after inadequate digging prior to cultivation. 

  • A farm, especially a dairy farm. 

  • A maggot. 

  • The growing part of a plant nearest to the roots. 

  • A shot where the played stone touches a stationary stone just enough that the played stone changes direction. 

  • The penis. 

  • Any piece of porous material that conveys liquid by capillary action, such as a strip of gauze placed in a wound to serve as a drain. 

  • A bundle, twist, braid, or woven strip of cord, fabric, fibre/fiber, or other porous material in a candle, oil lamp, kerosene heater, or the like, that draws up liquid fuel, such as melted tallow, wax, or the oil, delivering it to the base of the flame for conversion to gases and burning; any other length of material burned for illumination in small successive portions. 

  • A narrow opening in the field, flanked by other players' stones. 

verb
  • To traverse (i.e. be conveyed by capillary action) through a wick or other porous material, as water through a sponge. Usually followed by through. 

  • To convey or draw off (liquid) by capillary action. 

  • To strike (a stone) obliquely; to strike (a stationary stone) just enough that the played stone changes direction. 

adj
  • resistant to being put to use, stiff, stubborn (as for example a rope or a screw). 

  • Alive; lively; full of life; active; bustling; nimble; quick. 

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