A Night to Remember: Chapters 5–6

by Walter Lord
In this non-fiction book, Walter Lord provides a detailed account of the Titanic's fatal collision with an iceberg and the behavior of the passengers and crew in the aftermath.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–8, Chapters 9–10
15 words 69 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sluggish
    moving slowly
    About 1:40, Chief Officer Wilde shouted, “Everyone on the starboard side to straighten her up!” Passengers and crew trooped over, and the Titanic swung sluggishly back on an even keel.
  2. tiller
    lever used to turn the rudder on a boat
    Another wave of men rushed the boat. Seaman Scarrott beat them back with the tiller.
  3. resplendent
    having great beauty
    Instead he and his valet now stood resplendent in evening clothes. “We’ve dressed in our best,” he explained, “and are prepared to go down like gentlemen.”
  4. prominent
    conspicuous in position or importance
    Meanwhile the passengers waiting to go in No. 4 cooled their heels. And they were very prominent heels. The Astors, Wideners, Thayers, Carters and Ryersons were sticking pretty much together.
  5. indignantly
    in a manner showing anger at something unjust or wrong
    Mr. Ryerson indignantly stepped forward: “Of course that boy goes with his mother — he is only thirteen.”
  6. spry
    moving quickly and lightly
    Nearby, gymnasium instructor T. W. McCawley, a spry little man in white flannels, explained why he wouldn’t wear a life jacket — it kept you afloat but it slowed you down; he felt he could swim clear more quickly without it.
  7. luminary
    a celebrity who is an inspiration to others
    New York and Philadelphia society continued to stick together — John B. Thayer, George and Harry Widener, Duane Williams formed a little knot...lesser luminaries like Clinch Smith and Colonel Gracie hovering nearby.
  8. fortify
    make strong or stronger
    A few of the little table lights with their pink silk shades had fallen over, and someone was rummaging in the pantry, perhaps for something to fortify himself.
  9. rueful
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    George Q. Clifford of Boston had the rueful satisfaction of remembering that he took out 50,000 dollars extra life insurance just before the trip.
  10. toil
    work hard
    But the crew weren’t discouraged. If the boats couldn’t be launched, they could perhaps be floated off. So they toiled on — Lightoller, Murdoch, Trimmer Hemming, Steward Brown, Greaser Hurst, a dozen others.
  11. engulf
    flow over or cover completely
    Lightoller watched the wave from the roof of the officers’ quarters. He saw the crowds retreating up the deck ahead of it. He saw the nimbler ones keep clear, the slower ones overtaken and engulfed.
  12. maelstrom
    a powerful circular current of water
    In the maelstrom of ropes, deck chairs, planking, and wildly swirling water, nobody knew what happened to most of the people.
  13. trite
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
    It was a conversation full of the kind of small talk that normally takes place only in the barber’s chair. And even more trite: “I asked him if he minded shaking hands with me. He said ‘With pleasure’…”
  14. hull
    the frame or body of a ship
    It just missed the boat, washing it 30 yards clear of the plunging, twisting hull.
  15. din
    a loud, harsh, or strident noise
    When the water reached her red and green running lights, they knew the end was near...but nobody dreamed it would be like this — the unearthly din, the black hull hanging at 90 degrees, the Christmas card backdrop of brilliant stars.
Created on Thu Mar 03 12:38:29 EST 2022 (updated Mon Jun 23 12:30:50 EDT 2025)

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