rust vs sand

rust

noun
  • A reddish-brown color. 

  • A similar substance based on another metal (usually with qualification, such as "copper rust"). 

  • A disease of plants caused by a reddish-brown fungus. 

  • Damage caused to stamps and album pages by a fungal infection. 

  • The deteriorated state of iron or steel as a result of moisture and oxidation. 

verb
  • To (cause to) degenerate in idleness; to make or become dull or impaired by inaction. 

  • To oxidize, especially of iron or steel. 

  • To cause to oxidize. 

  • To be affected with the parasitic fungus called rust. 

  • Of a black cat or its fur, to turn rust-coloured following long periods of exposure to sunlight. 

sand

noun
  • A light beige colour, like that of typical sand. 

  • A beach or other expanse of sand. 

  • A moment or interval of time; the term or extent of one's life (referring to the sand in an hourglass). 

  • "sand in [someone's] eyes" (idiom) 

  • Rock that is ground more finely than gravel, but is not as fine as silt (more formally, see grain sizes chart), forming beaches and deserts and also used in construction. 

  • A sandpiper. 

  • A particle from 62.5 microns to 2 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale. 

verb
  • To abrade the surface of (something) with sand or sandpaper in order to smooth or clean it. 

  • To blot ink using sand. 

  • To cover with sand. 

adj
  • Of a light beige colour, like that of typical sand. 

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