retreat vs seek

retreat

verb
  • To slope back. 

  • To withdraw military forces 

  • To shrink back due to generally warmer temperatures. 

  • To withdraw from a position, go back. 

  • a retreating forehead 

noun
  • A peaceful, quiet place affording privacy or security. 

  • The act of reversing direction and receding from a forward position. 

  • A bugle call or drumbeat signaling the lowering of the flag at sunset, as on a military base. 

  • A military ceremony to lower the flag. 

  • The move of a piece from a threatened position. 

  • A period of retirement, seclusion, or solitude. 

  • A period of meditation, prayer or study. 

  • The act of pulling back or withdrawing, as from something dangerous, or unpleasant. 

  • A signal for a military withdrawal. 

  • Withdrawal by military force from a dangerous position or from enemy attack. 

seek

verb
  • To try to reach or come to; to go to; to resort to. 

  • To try to acquire or gain; to strive after; to aim at. 

  • To try to find; to look for; to search for. 

  • To navigate through a stream. 

  • To ask for; to solicit; to beseech. 

  • To attempt, endeavour, try 

noun
  • The operation of navigating through a stream. 

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