commission vs sanction

commission

verb
  • To send or officially charge someone or some group to do something. 

  • To put into active service. 

  • To place an order for (often a piece of art). 

noun
  • A fee charged by an agent or broker for carrying out a transaction. 

  • The thing to be done as agent for another. 

  • The act of committing (e.g. a crime or error). 

  • A sending or mission (to do or accomplish something). 

  • An official charge or authority to do something, often used of military officers. 

  • A body or group of people, officially tasked with carrying out a particular function. 

sanction

verb
  • To penalize (a state etc.) with sanctions. 

  • To ratify; to make valid. 

  • To give official authorization or approval to; to countenance. 

noun
  • An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid. 

  • A penalty, punishment, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance; especially one adopted by several nations, or by an international body. 

  • A law, treaty, or contract, or a clause within a law, treaty, or contract, specifying any of the above. 

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