handicap vs welfare

handicap

noun
  • Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders. 

  • An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race (or other contest of skill) to the competitor possessing disadvantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success. 

  • The disadvantage itself, in particular physical or mental disadvantages of people. 

  • A race or similar contest in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors. 

verb
  • To estimate betting odds. 

  • To encumber with a handicap in any contest. 

  • To place at disadvantage. 

welfare

noun
  • Such payment. 

  • Health, safety, happiness and prosperity; well-being in any respect. 

  • Various forms of financial aid provided by the government to those who are in need of it (often called welfare assistance in UK English). 

verb
  • To provide with welfare or aid. 

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