flatter vs ridicule

flatter

verb
  • To compliment someone, often (but not necessarily) insincerely and sometimes to win favour. 

  • To enhance someone's vanity by praising them. 

  • To encourage or cheer someone with (usually false) hope. 

  • To portray someone to advantage. 

noun
  • Someone who flattens, purposely or accidently. Also flattener. 

  • Someone who lives in a rented flat. 

  • A type of set tool used by blacksmiths. 

  • A flat-faced fulling hammer. 

  • A drawplate with a narrow, rectangular orifice, for drawing flat strips such as watch springs. 

ridicule

verb
  • to criticize or disapprove of someone or something through scornful jocularity; to make fun of 

noun
  • An object of sport or laughter; a laughing stock. 

  • The quality of being ridiculous; ridiculousness. 

  • derision; mocking or humiliating words or behaviour 

  • A small woman's handbag; a reticule. 

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