Lifeboat 12: List 4

by Susan Hood
During World War II, six boys struggle to survive in a lifeboat after their ship is hit by a torpedo.

This list covers "A Good Day"–"A New Chapter."

Here are links to our lists for the novel: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4
30 words 40 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. succulent
    tasty and full of juice
    And OH, the joy of it!
    A smooth, silky
    slide of sweetness,
    succulent
    and tantalizing.
  2. tantalizing
    very pleasantly inviting
    And OH, the joy of it!
    A smooth, silky
    slide of sweetness,
    succulent
    and tantalizing.
  3. interrogate
    pose a series of questions to
    Bulldog ducked beneath the window and saw Peterson interrogating a prisoner.
  4. reluctantly
    with a certain degree of unwillingness
    He kneels
    and reluctantly we do too,
    peeking at the horizon as we say
    the Lord’s Prayer together.
  5. rouse
    cause to become awake or conscious
    The sailors who are able
    rouse themselves
    and turn to look in that direction.
  6. shroud
    cover as if with a burial garment
    Night drops down,
    clouds shrouding the stars.
  7. fitful
    intermittently stopping and starting
    I wake from a fitful sleep,
    weary, confused.
  8. mirage
    optical illusion in which hot air distorts distant objects
    “There is no land, Ken,”
    says Mary softly.
    “It was the clouds,
    a mirage.”
  9. conjure
    summon into action or bring into existence
    The clouds and sea
    are smoke and mirrors,
    evil magicians
    hypnotizing us,
    conjuring land,
    hope, home
    with hocus-pocus.
  10. hoax
    something intended to deceive
    There is no land.
    Hope is a hoax.
  11. grit
    clench together
    We grit our teeth,
    face each roller as it hits
    and slice through,
    bracing ourselves
    till the next wave hits.
  12. subside
    wear off or die down
    After a time,
    the waves subside,
    slowing their cruel ride.
  13. indifferent
    marked by a lack of interest
    The wind whistles,
    indifferent to what it’s done.
  14. anoint
    administer an oil or ointment to, often ceremonially
    Mr. Nagorski
    anoints the feet
    of the crewmen
    whose sores are open wounds.
  15. mutinous
    characterized by a rebellion against authority
    Mutinous eyes follow him
    from stern to bow.
  16. wisp
    a thin tuft, piece, or amount of something
    We’ve seen gulls and clouds and smoke and ships before.

    They all vanished,
    wisps in the wind.

    But this time I know!

    “NO, I tell you! It’s a plane.”
  17. makeshift
    done or made using whatever is available
    Mayhew stands,
    holding his makeshift flags,
    out,
    down,
    right,
    up,
    overhead,
    left.
  18. giddy
    exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits
    We’re giddy
    with hilarity and hugs.
  19. hilarity
    great merriment
    We’re giddy
    with hilarity and hugs.
  20. thrum
    make or cause to make a low, continuous sound
    A hum thrums above.
    A second plane
    appears to cheers!
  21. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    On deck,
    I hobble,
    just like the others,
    suffering
    from trench foot
    and frostbite.
  22. frostbite
    damage to bodily tissue caused by extreme cold
    On deck,
    I hobble,
    just like the others,
    suffering
    from trench foot
    and frostbite.
  23. gruel
    a thin porridge
    He gives us water
    and a little thin gruel.
  24. throng
    a large gathering of people
    We line the ship’s rails,
    waving to throngs
    of weeping people
    and press who have come to greet us.
  25. swaddle
    wrap very tightly in cloth, as a baby
    A throng of reporters
    press in,
    but make way when Paul
    is carried off the ship
    on a stretcher,
    swaddled in blankets
    up to his chin.
  26. brooch
    a decorative pin
    It goes by in a blur
    of speeches and tears
    and gifts of coats,
    badges, gold brooches,
    and keys to the city.
  27. imposter
    a person who makes deceitful pretenses
    It’s fun being fussed over,
    but deep down
    I can’t help feeling like an imposter.
  28. clan
    group of people related by blood or marriage
    Being in Scotland, they give us kilts.
    “Choose any clan you like!” they say.
  29. dauntless
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
    PRESENTED TO KENNET SPARKS
    BY HIS NEIGHBORS IN ADMIRATION
    OF HIS DAUNTLESS COURAGE
    WHEN TORPEDOED IN
    SS CITY OF BENARES
    SEPTEMBER 17, 1940
  30. queue
    a line of people or vehicles waiting for something
    I stand in a long queue
    staring up at a war poster
    of Nazis burning books.
Created on Sun Jul 26 20:45:18 EDT 2020 (updated Fri Mar 12 08:42:11 EST 2021)

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