pursue vs spurn

pursue

verb
  • To follow urgently, originally with intent to capture or harm; to chase. 

  • To follow, travel down (a particular way, course of action etc.). 

  • To aim for, go after (a specified objective, situation etc.). 

  • To participate in (an activity, business etc.); to practise, follow (a profession). 

  • To act as a legal prosecutor. 

spurn

verb
  • To reject something by pushing it away with the foot. 

  • To waste; fail to make the most of (an opportunity) 

  • To reject disdainfully; contemn; scorn. 

noun
  • An act of spurning; a scornful rejection. 

  • A kick; a blow with the foot. 

  • A body of coal left to sustain an overhanging mass. 

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