peacock vs strut

peacock

verb
  • To strut about proudly. 

  • To engage in peacocking, ostentatious dress or behaviour to impress women. 

noun
  • A male peafowl, especially Pavo cristatus, notable for its brilliant iridescently ocellated tail. 

  • A peafowl (of the genus Pavo or Afropavo), either male or female. 

  • Any of various Asian species of papilionid butterflies of the genus Papilio. 

  • A vainglorious person [from the 14th c.]. 

strut

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

  • 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 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. 

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. 

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