direct vs tend

direct

verb
  • To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order. 

  • To manage, control, steer. 

  • To aim (something) at (something else). 

  • To point out to or show (somebody) the right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way. 

adj
  • having a single flight number. 

  • Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end. 

  • Pertaining to, or effected immediately by, action of the people through their votes instead of through one or more representatives or delegates. 

  • Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous. 

  • Proceeding without deviation or interruption. 

  • Straightforward; sincere. 

  • In the line of descent; not collateral. 

  • In the direction of the general planetary motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; said of the motion of a celestial body. 

adv
  • Directly. 

tend

verb
  • To accompany as an assistant or protector; to care for the wants of; to look after; to watch; to guard. 

  • To be likely, or probable to do something, or to have a certain habit or leaning. 

  • To kindle; ignite; set on fire; light; inflame; burn. 

  • To look after (e.g. an ill person.) 

  • To contribute to or toward some outcome. 

  • To manage (an anchored vessel) when the tide turns, to prevent it from entangling the cable when swinging. 

  • To make a tender of; to offer or tender. 

  • To wait (upon), as attendants or servants; to serve; to attend. 

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