refuse vs take on

refuse

verb
  • To decline (a request or demand). 

  • To decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission. 

  • To melt again. 

  • To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the centre, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular alignment when troops are about to engage the enemy. 

noun
  • Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage. 

adj
  • Discarded, rejected. 

take on

verb
  • To assume or take responsibility for. 

  • To (attempt to) dribble round (an opposition player). 

  • To catch on, do well; to become popular. 

  • To obtain the services of (a person) in exchange for remuneration; to give someone a job. 

  • To begin to have or exhibit. 

  • To attempt to fight, compete with, or engage with. 

  • To acquire, bring in, or introduce. 

  • To grieve or be concerned (about something or someone). 

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