blot vs swab

blot

verb
  • to soak up or absorb liquid. 

  • to cause a blot (on something) by spilling a coloured substance. 

  • To obliterate, as writing with ink; to cancel; to efface; generally with out. 

  • To dry (writing, etc.) with blotting paper. 

  • To spot, stain, or bespatter, as with ink. 

  • To obscure; to eclipse; to shadow. 

  • To impair; to damage; to mar; to soil. 

  • To stain with infamy; to disgrace. 

noun
  • A stain on someone's reputation or character; a disgrace. 

  • An exposed piece in backgammon. 

  • A blemish, spot or stain made by a coloured substance. 

  • A method of transferring proteins, DNA or RNA, onto a carrier. 

swab

verb
  • To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab. 

noun
  • A sailor; a swabby. 

  • A naval officer's epaulet. 

  • A small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access. 

  • A mop, especially on a ship. 

  • A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns. 

  • A sample taken with a swab (piece of absorbent material). 

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