should vs thing

should

verb
  • To make a statement of what ought to be true, as opposed to reality. 

  • Will be likely to (become or do something); indicates a degree of possibility or probability that the stated thing will happen or be true in the future. 

  • Indicates that something is expected to have happened or to be the case now. 

  • Used to express a conditional outcome. 

  • With verbs such as 'see' or 'hear', usually in the second person, used to point out something remarkable in either a good or bad way. 

  • Used to impart a tentative, conjectural or polite nuance. 

  • Used to express what the speaker would do in another person's situation, as a means of giving a suggestion or recommendation. 

  • Simple past tense of shall. 

  • In questions, asks what is correct, proper, desirable, etc. 

  • Used to issue an instruction (traditionally seen as carrying less force of authority than alternatives such as 'shall' or 'must'). 

  • Used to give advice or opinion that an action is, or would have been, beneficial or desirable. 

  • Used to form a variant of the present subjunctive, expressing a state or action that is hypothetical, potential, mandated, etc. 

noun
  • Something that ought to be the case as opposed to already being the case. 

thing

verb
  • To express as a thing; to reify. 

noun
  • A public assembly or judicial council in a Germanic country. 

  • A unit or container, usually containing edible goods. 

  • A problem, dilemma, or complicating factor. 

  • Corporeal object. 

  • That which is considered to exist as a separate entity, object, quality or concept. 

  • A romantic relationship. 

  • Alternate form of ting. 

  • One's typical routine, habits, or manner. (Used in possessive constructions.) 

  • Used after a noun to refer dismissively to the situation surrounding the noun's referent. 

  • A genuine concept, entity or phenomenon; something that actually exists (often contrary to expectation or belief). 

  • An individual object or distinct entity. 

  • That which is favoured; personal preference. (Used in possessive constructions.) 

  • A living being or creature. 

  • A penis. 

  • Whatever can be owned. 

  • Girl; attractive woman. 

  • Clothes, possessions or equipment. 

  • That which matters; the crux. 

  • A romantic couple. 

  • A word, symbol, sign, or other referent that can be used to refer to any entity. 

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