What is the difference between 怖じける and 恐れる?


I wanna ask you about the difference between [怖]{お}じける and [恐]{おそ}れる. Both
mean to be scary right?

  * Which is more common? 
  * How do I use each in a sentence?
  * Are they interchangeable?




I would define them as:

  * (~を)恐れる: to _fear_ (something)

  * (~に)怖じける: to flinch or cower _in fear_ (at something) ; get frightened

A1) I would say 恐れる is more common, in terms of the absolute number of uses,
but since their meaning are slightly different, I don't think there's much of
a point in comparing.

A2) Here's an example I made for each.「獣は火を恐れる。」: "Animals fear
fire."「熊は炎に怖じけて、逃げて行った。」: "The bear flinched at the fire, and ran away."

A3) Some of the time, I guess.

