pole vs rod

pole

noun
  • A penis. 

  • A telescope used to identify birds, aeroplanes or wildlife. 

  • Either of the two points on the earth's surface around which it rotates; also, similar points on any other rotating object. 

  • A construction by which an animal is harnessed to a carriage. 

  • A gun. 

  • Either of the states that characterize a bipolar disorder. 

  • A point of magnetic focus, especially each of the two opposing such points of a magnet (designated north and south). 

  • A fixed point relative to other points or lines. 

  • Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and slender piece of metal or (especially) wood, used for various construction or support purposes. 

  • A type of basic fishing rod. 

  • A long sports implement used for pole-vaulting; now made of glassfiber or carbon fiber, formerly also metal, bamboo and wood have been used. 

  • Pole position. 

  • For a meromorphic function f(z), any point a for which f(z)→∞ as z→a. 

  • A unit of length, equal to a rod (¹⁄₄ chain or 5+¹⁄₂ yards). 

  • A contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at which electric current enters or leaves. 

verb
  • To propel by pushing with poles, to push with a pole. 

  • To furnish with poles for support. 

  • To identify something quite precisely using a telescope. 

  • To convey on poles. 

  • To stir, as molten glass, with a pole. 

  • To strike (the ball) very hard. 

  • To induce piezoelectricity in (a substance) by aligning the dipoles. 

rod

noun
  • The penis. 

  • A rod cell: a rod-shaped cell in the eye that is sensitive to light. 

  • A hot rod, an automobile or other passenger motor vehicle modified to run faster and often with exterior cosmetic alterations, especially one based originally on a pre-1940s model or (currently) denoting any older vehicle thus modified. 

  • A coupling rod or connecting rod, which links the driving wheels of a steam locomotive, and some diesel shunters and early electric locomotives. 

  • A long slender usually tapering pole used for angling; fishing rod. 

  • A straight, round stick, shaft, bar, cane, or staff. 

  • A straight bar that unites moving parts of a machine, for holding parts together as a connecting rod or for transferring power as a driveshaft. 

  • Any of a number of long, slender microorganisms. 

  • An implement held vertically and viewed through an optical surveying instrument such as a transit, used to measure distance in land surveying and construction layout; an engineer's rod, surveyor's rod, surveying rod, leveling rod, ranging rod. The modern (US) engineer's or surveyor's rod commonly is eight or ten feet long and often designed to extend higher. In former times a surveyor's rod often was a single wooden pole or composed of multiple sectioned and socketed pieces, and besides serving as a sighting target was used to measure distance on the ground horizontally, hence for convenience was of one rod or pole in length, that is, 5+¹⁄₂ yards. 

  • A stirring rod: a glass rod, typically about 6 inches to 1 foot long and ¹⁄₈ to ¹⁄₄ inch in diameter that can be used to stir liquids in flasks or beakers. 

  • A stick used to measure distance, by using its established length or task-specific temporary marks along its length, or by dint of specific graduated marks. 

  • An implement resembling and/or supplanting a rod (particularly a cane) that is used for corporal punishment, and metonymically called the rod, regardless of its actual shape and composition. 

  • A longitudinal pole used for forming part of a framework such as an awning or tent. 

  • A Cuisenaire rod. 

  • A stick, pole, or bundle of switches or twigs (such as a birch), used for personal defense or to administer corporal punishment by whipping. 

  • A pistol; a gun. 

  • A rod-shaped object that appears in photographs or videos traveling at high speed, not seen by the person recording the event, often associated with extraterrestrial entities. 

verb
  • To penetrate sexually. 

  • To reinforce concrete with metal rods. 

  • To hot rod. 

  • To furnish with rods, especially lightning rods. 

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