stepping vs tread

stepping

noun
  • The act of taking a step. 

  • A specific iteration of a model of central processing unit, often distinguished by the addition or removal of features compared to earlier examples of the same processor, or the presence, or lack thereof, of specific bugs. 

tread

noun
  • A manner of stepping. 

  • A step taken with the foot. 

  • The grooves carved into the face of a tire, used to give the tire traction. 

  • The chalaza of a bird's egg; the treadle. 

  • The grooves on the bottom of a shoe or other footwear, used to give grip or traction. 

  • A bruise or abrasion produced on the foot or ankle of a horse that interferes, or strikes its feet together. 

  • The horizontal part of a step in a flight of stairs. 

  • The top of the banquette, on which soldiers stand to fire over the parapet. 

  • The act of avian copulation in which the male bird mounts the female by standing on her back. 

  • The sound made when someone or something is walking. 

verb
  • To proceed, to behave (in a certain manner). 

  • To beat or press with the feet. 

  • To work a lever, treadle, etc., with the foot or the feet. 

  • To crush grapes with one's feet to make wine 

  • To step or walk upon. 

  • To copulate; said of (especially male) birds. 

  • To step or walk (on or across something); to trample. 

  • To go through or accomplish by walking, dancing, etc. 

  • To copulate with. 

  • To crush under the foot; to trample in contempt or hatred; to subdue. 

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