column vs strut

column

noun
  • A solid upright structure designed usually to support a larger structure above it, such as a roof or horizontal beam, but sometimes for decoration. 

  • Something having similar vertical form or structure to the things mentioned above, such as a spinal column. 

  • A recurring feature in a periodical, especially an opinion piece, especially by a single author or small rotating group of authors, or on a single theme. 

  • The gynostemium 

  • A vertical line of entries in a table, usually read from top to bottom. 

  • An object used to separate the different components of a liquid or to purify chemical compounds. 

  • A body of text meant to be read line by line, especially in printed material that has multiple adjacent such on a single page. 

  • A body of troops or army vehicles, usually strung out along a road. 

  • A unit of width, especially of advertisements, in a periodical, equivalent to the width of a usual column of text. 

strut

noun
  • A beam or rod providing support. 

  • An act of strutting (“bracing or supporting (something) by a strut or struts (sense 1); attaching diagonally; bending at a sharp angle”); specifically, deviation (of the spoke of a wheel) from the normal position. 

  • An instrument for adjusting the pleats of a ruff. 

  • A step or walk done stiffly and with the head held high, often due to haughtiness or pride; affected dignity in walking. 

verb
  • Of a peacock or other fowl: to stand or walk stiffly, with the tail erect and spread out. 

  • To walk across or on (a stage or other place) haughtily or proudly. 

  • To walk haughtily or proudly with one's head held high. 

  • To brace or support (something) by a strut or struts; to hold (something) in place or strengthen by a diagonal, transverse, or upright support. 

  • To be attached diagonally or at a slant; also, to be bent at a sharp angle. 

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