increase vs wane

increase

noun
  • An amount by which a quantity is increased. 

  • The creation of one or more new stitches; see Increase (knitting). 

  • For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger 

  • Offspring, progeny 

verb
  • To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific. 

  • To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax. 

  • To make (a quantity, etc.) larger. 

  • (of a quantity, etc.) To become larger or greater. 

wane

noun
  • A gradual diminution in power, value, intensity etc. 

  • The end of a period. 

  • The lunar phase during which the sun seems to illuminate less of the moon as its sunlit area becomes progressively smaller as visible from Earth. 

  • A child. 

  • A rounded corner caused by lack of wood, often showing bark. 

  • ]] 

verb
  • To progressively lose its splendor, value, ardor, power, intensity etc.; to decline. 

  • Said of light that dims or diminishes in strength. 

  • Said of a time period that comes to an end. 

  • Said of the Moon as it passes through the phases of its monthly cycle where its surface is less and less visible. 

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