draft vs sign on

draft

verb
  • To select someone (or something) for a particular role or purpose. 

  • To draw out; to call forth. 

  • To write a law. 

  • To conscript a person, force a person to serve in some capacity, especially in the military. 

  • To follow very closely (behind another vehicle), thereby providing an aerodynamic advantage to both lead and follower and conserving energy or increasing speed. 

  • To draw fibers out of a clump, for spinning in the production of yarn. 

  • To draw in outline; to make a draught, sketch, or plan of, as in architectural and mechanical drawing. 

  • To write a first version, make a preliminary sketch. 

  • To select a rookie player onto a professional sports team. 

  • To select and separate an animal or animals from a group. 

adj
  • Referring to animals used for pulling heavy loads. 

  • Referring to drinks on tap, in contrast to bottled. 

noun
  • Conscription, the system of forcing people to serve in the military. 

  • The bevel given to the pattern for a casting, so that it can be drawn from the sand without damaging the mould. 

  • The draw through a flue of gasses (smoke) resulting from a combustion process. 

  • The pulling force (tension) on couplers and draft gear during a slack stretched condition. 

  • An act of drinking. 

  • A system of forcing or convincing people to take an elected position. 

  • A preliminary sketch or outline for a plan. 

  • A current of air, usually coming into a room or vehicle. 

  • The quantity of liquid (such as water, alcohol, or medicine) drunk in one swallow. 

  • An early version of a written work (such as a book or e-mail) or drawing. 

  • The depth of water needed to float a particular ship; the depth from the waterline to the bottom of a vessel's hull; the depth of water drawn by a vessel. 

  • Liquid, especially beer or other alcohol, drawn from a cask or keg rather than a bottle or can. 

  • A dose (of medicine, alcohol, etc.). 

  • A system of assigning rookie players to professional sports teams. 

  • A cheque, an order for money to be paid. 

sign on

verb
  • To commit oneself, as to a project, a goal, an organization, a cause. 

  • To begin broadcasting a radio or television signal, usually at the beginning of a broadcasting day and after being off the air for several hours. 

  • To join something, after signing. 

  • To apply to receive unemployment benefits. 

  • To log on; to start using a computer, radio, etc., or to start talking. 

noun
  • The time of day when a radio or television station begins broadcasting, usually after being off the air for several hours. 

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