last vs linger

last

verb
  • To endure, continue over time. 

  • To hold out, continue undefeated or entire. 

  • To shape with a last; to fasten or fit to a last; to place smoothly on a last. 

det
  • The (one) immediately before the present. 

  • Closest in the past, or closest but one if the closest was very recent; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) ago, or the most recent instance before seven days (one week) ago. 

adv
  • Most recently. 

  • after everything else; finally 

noun
  • A tool for shaping or preserving the shape of shoes. 

  • A load of some commodity with reference to its weight and commercial value. 

adj
  • Being the only one remaining of its class. 

  • Farthest of all from a given quality, character, or condition; most unlikely, or least preferable. 

  • Supreme; highest in degree; utmost. 

  • Lowest in rank or degree. 

  • Most recent, latest, last so far. 

  • Final, ultimate, coming after all others of its kind. 

linger

verb
  • To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually. 

  • To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytic thinking or discussion. 

  • To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so. 

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