skulk vs traipse

skulk

verb
  • To move in a stealthy or furtive way; to come or go while trying to avoid detection. 

  • To avoid an obligation or responsibility. 

  • To stay where one cannot be seen, conceal oneself (often in a cowardly way or with the intent of doing harm). 

noun
  • The act of moving in a stealthy or furtive way. 

  • A stealthy or furtive gait or way of moving. 

  • A group of people seen as being fox-like (e.g. cunning, dishonest, or having nefarious plans). 

  • A group of foxes. 

  • The act of avoiding an obligation or responsibility. 

traipse

verb
  • to walk about or over (a place) aimlessly or insouciantly. 

  • To travel with purpose; usually a significant or tedious amount. 

  • To walk (a distance or journey) wearily or with effort 

  • To walk about, especially when expending much effort, or unnecessary effort. 

noun
  • A long or tiring walk. 

  • A meandering walk. 

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