strut vs truss

strut

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

  • 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 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. 

truss

verb
  • To strengthen or stiffen, as a beam or girder, by means of a brace or braces. 

  • To secure or bind with ropes. 

  • To take fast hold of; to seize and hold firmly; to pounce upon. 

  • To tie up a bird before cooking it. 

  • To support. 

noun
  • The rope or iron used to keep the centre of a yard to the mast. 

  • A bandage and belt used to hold a hernia in place. 

  • A tuft of flowers or cluster of fruits formed at the top of the main stem of certain plants. 

  • A padded jacket or dress worn under armour, to protect the body from the effects of friction. 

  • A structure made up of one or more triangular units made from straight beams of wood or metal, which is used to support a structure as in a roof or bridge. 

  • A triangular bracket. 

  • Part of a woman's dress; a stomacher. 

  • An old English farming measurement. One truss of straw equalled 36 pounds, a truss of old hay equalled 56 pounds, a truss of new hay equalled 60 pounds, and 36 trusses equalled one load. 

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