ranger vs straggler

ranger

noun
  • One who ranges; a rover. 

  • A roving robber; one who seeks plunder. 

  • In some modern armies, an elite soldier, similar to special forces but often operating in larger units. 

  • A character skilled in the use of ranged weapons. 

  • A keeper, guardian, or soldier who ranges over a region (generally of wilderness) to protect the area or enforce the law. 

  • A dog that beats the ground in search of game. 

  • A warrior character, often with wilderness and stealth skill, who typically travels the countryside. 

verb
  • To work as a ranger. 

straggler

noun
  • One who roams without any settled direction. 

  • Something that stands alone or by itself. 

  • One who falls behind the rest, for example in a race. 

  • Something that shoots, or spreads out, beyond the rest, or too far; an exuberant growth. 

  • A roving vagabond. 

  • A person who straggles, or departs from the direct or proper course, or from the company to which they belong. 

  • A migratory animal found away from its usual range. 

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