swab vs washer

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). 

washer

verb
  • To fit (a mechanical device) with a washer. 

noun
  • A person who washes his or her hands compulsively, as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

  • Something that washes; especially an appliance such as a washing machine or dishwasher. 

  • A person who washes (especially clothes) for a living; a washerman or washerwoman. 

  • A face cloth. 

  • A flat disk, placed beneath a nut or at some joint, to distribute pressure, alleviate friction or prevent leakage. 

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