pair of compasses vs verge

pair of compasses

noun
  • A tool for drawing accurate circles or arches, usually consisting of two arms joined at one end in such a way that the arms can be opened and closed; one of the arms is pointed at its free end while the other holds a pencil, pencil lead or some other implement for making marks. 

verge

noun
  • The spindle of a watch balance, especially one with pallets, as in the old vertical escapement. 

  • A rod or staff of office, e.g. of a verger. 

  • The grassy area between the footpath and the street; a tree lawn; a grassed strip running alongside either side of an outback road. 

  • The stick or wand with which persons were formerly admitted tenants, by holding it in the hand and swearing fealty to the lord. Such tenants were called tenants by the verge. 

  • An edge or border. 

  • An old measure of land: a virgate or yardland. 

  • The shaft of a column, or a small ornamental shaft. 

  • A circumference; a circle; a ring. 

  • An extreme limit beyond which something specific will happen. 

  • The eaves or edge of the roof that projects over the gable of a roof. 

verb
  • To be or come very close; to border; to approach. 

  • To bend or incline; to tend downward; to slope. 

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