deny vs pledge

deny

verb
  • To disclaim connection with, responsibility for, etc.; to refuse to acknowledge; to disown; to abjure; to disavow. 

  • To assert that something is not true. 

  • To refuse to give or grant something to someone. 

  • To disallow or reject. 

  • To take something away from someone; to deprive of. 

  • To prevent from scoring. 

pledge

verb
  • To make a solemn promise (to do something). 

  • To deposit something as a security; to pawn. 

  • To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health. 

noun
  • A solemn promise to do something. 

  • The personal property so pledged, to be kept until the debt is paid. 

  • A bailment of personal property to secure payment of a debt without transfer of title. 

  • A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved. 

  • A drinking toast. 

  • An asset or person temporarily handed over to guarantee the fulfilment of something promised, under threat of permanent loss of the thing handed over; surety, security, hostage. 

  • A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol. 

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