parallel vs rival

parallel

verb
  • To equal; to match; to correspond to. 

  • To produce or adduce as a parallel. 

  • To compare or liken something to something else. 

  • To construct or place something parallel to something else. 

  • Of a process etc: To be analogous to something else. 

  • To make to conform to something else in character, motive, aim, etc. 

  • Of a path etc: To be parallel to something else. 

adv
  • With a parallel relationship. 

noun
  • A character consisting of two parallel vertical lines, used in the text to direct attention to a similarly marked note in the margin or at the foot of a page. 

  • A line of latitude. 

  • One of a set of parallel lines. 

  • One of a series of long trenches constructed before a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress. 

  • Direction conformable to that of another line. 

  • An arrangement of electrical components such that a current flows along two or more paths; see in parallel. 

  • Something identical or similar in essential respects. 

  • A comparison made; elaborate tracing of similarity. 

adj
  • Having the same overall direction; the comparison is indicated with "to". 

  • Either not intersecting, or coinciding. 

  • Equally distant from one another at all points. 

  • Involving the processing of multiple tasks at the same time. 

rival

verb
  • To be equal to, or match, or to surpass another. 

  • To oppose or compete with. 

  • To strive to equal or excel; to emulate. 

adj
  • Having the same pretensions or claims; standing in competition for superiority. 

noun
  • A competitor (person, team, company, etc.) with the same goal as another, or striving to attain the same thing. Defeating a rival may be a primary or necessary goal of a competitor. 

  • Someone or something with similar claims of quality or distinction as another. 

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