reed vs vacuum tube

reed

noun
  • A tube containing the train of powder for igniting the charge in blasting. 

  • Any of various types of tall stiff perennial grass-like plants growing together in groups near water. 

  • A comb-like part of a beater for beating the weft when weaving. 

  • A piece of whalebone or similar for stiffening the skirt or waist of a woman's dress. 

  • The fourth stomach of a ruminant; rennet. 

  • A musical instrument such as the clarinet or oboe, which produces sound when a musician blows on the reed. 

  • Straw prepared for thatching a roof. 

  • Part of the mouthpiece of certain woodwind instruments, comprising a thin piece of wood or metal which shakes very quickly to produce sound when a musician blows over it. 

  • Reeding. 

  • The hollow stem of these plants. 

verb
  • To mill or mint with reeding. 

  • To thatch. 

vacuum tube

noun
  • A type of electron tube that controls electron current through vacuum between electrodes within a sealed container, usually of glass or metal and often designed to be easily installed in and removed from the equipment in which it is used. 

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