degradation vs retire

degradation

noun
  • The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society 

  • The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement. 

  • Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration. 

  • A deleterious change in the chemical structure, physical properties or appearance of a material from natural or artificial exposure. 

  • The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration. 

  • Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole. 

  • The gradual breakdown of components of a material, as a result of a natural element, i.e.: heat, cold and wind. 

  • A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc. 

retire

noun
  • The act of retiring, or the state of being retired. 

  • A place to which one retires. 

verb
  • To stop working on a permanent basis, usually because of old age or illness. 

  • To cease use or production of something. 

  • To go back or return; to withdraw or retreat, especially from public view; to go into privacy. 

  • To fit (a vehicle) with new tires. 

  • To recede; to fall or bend back. 

  • To go to bed. 

  • To withdraw; to take away. 

  • To voluntarily stop batting before being dismissed so that the next batsman can bat. 

  • To retreat from action or danger; to withdraw for safety or pleasure. 

  • To withdraw from circulation, or from the market; to take up and pay. 

  • To cause to retire; specifically, to designate as no longer qualified for active service; to place on the retired list. 

  • To make a play which results in a runner or the batter being out, either by means of a put out, fly out or strikeout. 

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