Vocabulary and grammar list

NO

LANGUAGE UNITS

NOTES

Lisbon became the great embarkation point.

TO EMBARK 1.to go onto a ship or a plane, or to put or take something onto a ship or plane [≠ disembark]

2.to start something, especially something new, difficult, or exciting:

He embarked on a new career as a teacher.

Not everybody could get to Lisbon directly. And so a torturous roundabout refugee trail sprang up.

TORTUROUS very painful or unpleasant to experience: a torturous five days of fitness testing

REFUGEE someone who has been forced to leave their country, especially during a war, or for political or religious reasons: Refugees were streaming across the border.

…across the rim of Africa…

the outside edge of something circular

plates with a gold band around the rim

Here the fortunate ones… might obtain exit visas and scurry to Lisbon.

to move quickly with short steps, especially because you are in a hurry:

People were scurrying off to work.

Murder and possible accomplices headed for Casablanca.

a person who helps someone such as a criminal to do something wrong

This is the customary roundup of refugees…

when people or animals of a particular type are all brought together, often using force:

a round-up of suspected drug-dealers

Along with these unhappy refugees the scum of Europe has gravitated to Casablanca.

informal nasty, unpleasant people:

Scum like that should be locked away!

People like that are the scum of the earth.

Vultures everywhere!

1.a large bird that eats dead animals

2.someone who uses other people's problems and suffering for their own advantage - used to show disapproval:

He hadn't been dead five minutes before those vultures from the media were after his widow.

My aide, Lieutenant Casselle.

someone whose job is to help someone who has an important job, especially a politician:

a presidential aide

-We know who the murderer is. -Good. Is he in custody?

when someone is kept in prison until they go to court, because the police think they have committed a crime:

The committee is looking at alternatives to custody.

A man is being held in police custody in connection with the murder.

His father is the bellboy.

especially British English BODLTa young man who carries bags, takes messages etc in a hotel

Of all the nerve! Who do you think--?

courage and confidence in a dangerous, difficult, or frightening situation: Not many people have the nerve to stand up and speak in front of a large audience.

Jensen would've won if he hadn't lost his nerve.

It's hard to keep your nerve when people keep interrupting you.

You despise me, don’t you?

to dislike and have a low opinion of someone or something:

She despised her neighbours.

I don’t mind a parasite. I object to a cut-rate one.

a charge or payment that is set according to a standard scale:

Nurses are demanding higher rates of pay.

Some hotels offer special rates for children.

What's the hourly rate for cleaning?

Cannot be rescinded. Not even questioned.

TO RESCIND to officially end a law, or change a decision or agreement

letters of transit

documents, letters of transit from the French government giving a "carte blanche" escape from Casablanca and German occupied Europe.

-I don’t sell human beings. -Too bad. That’s Casablanca’s leading commodity.

a product that is bought and sold:

agricultural commodities

Commodity prices fell sharply.

The boss’s private stock.

a supply of something that you keep and can use when you need to:

He keeps a stock of medicines in the cupboard. The country has been building up its stock of weapons.

How extravagant you are, throwing away women like this. Someday they may be scarce.

EXTRAVAGANT doing or using something too much or more than is necessary:

Don't be too extravagant with the wine.

an extravagant display of loyalty

SCARCE if something is scarce, there is not very much of it available:

Food was often scarce in the winter.

There was fierce competition for the scarce resources.

I think now I shall pay a call on Yvonne. Maybe get her on the rebound.

A CALL a visit, especially for a particular reason:

Sorry, Doctor Pugh is out on a call at the moment.

pay/make a call (on somebody) (=visit someone)

ON THE REBOUND someone who is on the rebound is upset or confused because their romantic relationship has just ended: He first met me when I was on the rebound, after splitting up with Mark.

If he gets a word in, it’ll be a major Italian victory.

get a word in (edgeways) to get a chance to say something: Once George starts talking it's difficult to get a word in edgeways.

The clipper to America.

a fast sailing ship used in the past

Did you abscond with the church funds?

formal to secretly leave somewhere, taking with you something that does not belong to you:

He has to convince a judge that he wasn't going to abscond with the money.

I stick my neck out for nobody.

informalto risk giving your opinion about something, even though you may be wrong or other people may disagree with you:

I'm going to stick my neck out with some predictions for the next two years.

I see. Gestapo spank.

TO SPANK to hit a child on their bottom with your open hand, as a punishment [= smack]: a spank on the bottom

May I first cash my chips?

a small flat coloured piece of plastic used in games such aspoker orblackjack to represent a particular amount of money

-You have no sympathy for the fox? -Not particularly. I understand the point of view of the hound, too.

Interpret.

That was a gross understatement.

a statement that is not strong enough to express how good, bad, impressive etc something really is:

To say the movie was bad is an understatement.

'It wasn't very easy to find the house.' 'That's got to be the understatement of the year!'

A very clever tactical retreat.

1.a movement away from the enemy after a defeat in battle [≠ advance]:

Napoleon's retreat from Moscow

2.a movement away from someone or something:

Ten thousand years ago the ice began its retreat from Scotland.

3.when you change your mind about something because your idea was unpopular or too difficult:

a retreat from hard-line policies

In concentration camp, one is apt to lose a little weight.

be apt to do something to have a natural tendency to do something: Some of the staff are apt to arrive late on Mondays.

A lot of water under the bridge.

be (all) water under the bridge informal used to say that what happened in the past should be forgotten

I can’t remember it. I’m a little rusty on it.

if you are rusty, you are not as good at something as you used to be, because you have not practised it for a long time:

My French is a bit rusty.

We have a curfew in Casablanca.

a law that forces people to stay indoors after a particular time at night, or the time people must be indoors:

The government imposed a night-time curfew throughout the country.

The curfew was lifted (=ended) on May 6th.

The whole town was placed under curfew.

I’ll call you a cab. Gasoline rationing, time of night.

when the amount of food, petrol etc that people are allowed to have is limited by the government:

fuel/clothes/food etc rationing

News of bread rationing created panic buying.

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world…

informal DFa cheap bar, club, or restaurant:

a hamburger joint

Their roll of honour.

British Englisha list of people who are officially praised, especially because they were brave in battle [= honor roll American English]

the roll of honour on the war memorial

That sort of takes the sting out of being occupied.

the upsetting or bad effect of a situation:

the sting of rejection

take the sting out of something (=make something less unpleasant or painful)

She smiled to take the sting out of her words.

Here’s looking at you, kid.

"Here's looking at you" is an American expression. It is a play on the card game of poker, when the face cards (JQK) are all looking at you: good news if you hold them. Rick's toast to Ilsa, "Here's looking at you, kid", used several times, is not in the draft screenplays, but has been attributed to something Bogart said to Bergman as he taught her poker between takes.

It’s pretty bad timing.

the skill of doing something at exactly the right time

perfect/good/bad etc timing

He was just walking into the restaurant when we got there. Perfect timing.

He told jokes with an exquisite sense of timing.

She looked up to him and worshipped him…

to admire or respect someone:

I've always looked up to Bill for his courage and determination.

You give him credit for too much cleverness.

approval or praise that you give to someone for something they have done:

Credit for this win goes to everybody in the team.

They never give Gene any credit for all the extra work he does.

She deserves credit for trying her best.

My impression was he’s just another blundering American.

careless or stupid:

You blundering idiot!

Laszlo, we will not mince words.

not mince (your) words to say exactly what you think, even if this might offend people: Tom didn't mince words and told me straight away that I had failed.

So far you have been fortunate enough in eluding us.

to escape from someone or something, especially by tricking them [= avoid]:

He eluded his pursuers by escaping into a river.

If you will furnish me with their names and whereabouts…

the place or area where someone or something is:

He showed great reluctance to reveal his whereabouts.

The police want to know the whereabouts of his brother.

You have a reputation for eloquence.

ELOQUENT able to express your ideas and opinions well, especially in a way that influences people:

an eloquent appeal for support

You won’t dare to interfere with me here. This is still unoccupied France.

to be brave enough to do something that is risky or that you are afraid to do - used especially in questions or negative sentences:

He wanted to ask her, but he didn't dare.

Only a few journalists dared to cover the story.

Any violation of neutrality would reflect on Captain Renault.

an action that breaks a law, agreement, principle etc:

human rights violations

a violation of international law

Last night you evinced an interest in Signor Ugarte.

formalto show a feeling or have a quality in a way that people can easily notice:

She evinced no surprise at seeing them together.

-Are you quite finished with us? -For the time being.

~ for the present occasion

Don’t be too downhearted.

feeling sad and disappointed, especially because you have tried to achieve something but have failed:

When no replies came, I began to feel downhearted.

-Every time you send my shipment over it’s just a little bit short. - Carrying charges, my boy.

a load of goods sent by sea, road, or air, or the act of sending them:

a shipment of grain

an illegal arms shipment

The goods are ready for shipment.

You’re a fat hypocrite.

someone who pretends to have certain beliefs or opinions that they do not really have - used to show disapproval

I came over here to give them a chance to ransack my place.

1.to go through a place, stealing things and causing damage:

The whole flat had been ransacked.

2.to search a place very thoroughly, often making it untidy

She ransacked the wardrobe for something to wear.

Take me into your confidence. You need a partner.

to tell someone your secrets or private or personal details about your life:

Elsa took me into her confidence and told me about some of the problems she was facing.

I am reasonably sober.

not drunk:

He's a nice guy when he's sober.

You see, the word has gone around.

the word is (that)/word has it (that) (=people are saying that)

The word is that the two companies are planning a merger.

A difficult customer, that Rick. One never knows what he’ll do or why.

awkward/tricky/tough etc customer someone who is difficult to deal with because they behave in a deliberately unhelpful way

We barely got cleaned up in time to open.

only with great difficulty or effort [= only just]:

She was very old and barely able to walk.

Mary had barely enough money to live on.

She could barely understand English.

Are you Pro-Vichy or Free French?

VICHY a city in south central France where the government of France was based during World War II. The authority of the Vichy government was not accepted by many French people because it followed the rules and laws given to it by the Germans who had taken control of France. When people discuss this period of France's history they sometimes call the country Vichy France.

Serves me right for asking a direct question.

spoken used to say that you think someone deserves something unpleasant that happens to them, because they have been stupid or unkind:

'She kicked me!' 'Serves you right, teasing her like that.'

I think it’s time for me to flatter Major a little.

to praise someone in order to please them or get something from them, even though you do not mean it:

Perry would always flatter Mrs. Mitchell by praising her cooking.

-Are you entirely sure which side you are on? -I have no conviction, if that’s what you mean.

a very strong belief or opinion:

a woman of strong political convictions

The Dotens have a deep conviction that marriage is for life.

We know that every French province in Africa is honeycombed with traitors.

HONEYCOMB 1. a structure made by bees, which consists of many six-sided cells in which honey is stored

2.CFsomething that is arranged or shaped in this pattern

Isn’t it strange that you’re always fighting on the side of the underdog?

a person, team etc that is weaker than the others, is always expected to be unsuccessful, and that is often treated badly:

Crowds often feel sympathy for the underdog.

Victor Laszlo apprehended, sent to concentration camp.

formalif the police apprehend a criminal, they catch him or her [= arrest]:

The police have failed to apprehend the culprits.

This might come in handy.

useful:

It's very handy having a light above your desk.

Take your swimming trunks with you - they might come in handy (=be useful).

Be quite a feather in your cap, wouldn't it?

a feather in your cap something you have done that you should be proud of

Apparently you are the only one is Casablanca who has less scruples than I.

a belief about what is right and wrong that prevents you from doing bad things:

He had no scruples about selling faulty goods to people.

They made thousands of families homeless without scruple.

The charge of accessory to the murder of the couriers from whom the letters were stolen.

someone who helps a criminal, especially by helping them hide from the police:

an accessory to murder

Love has triumphed over virtue.

formalmoral goodness of character and behaviour [≠ vice]:

Women have often been used as symbols of virtue.

Ceiling unlimited. (weather conditions)

technicalthe greatest height an aircraft can fly at or the level of the clouds

The problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.

it doesn't amount to a hill of beans American English spoken = it is not important

I could be induced to arrange a passage.

formalto persuade someone to do something, especially something that does not seem wise:

Nothing would induce me to vote for him again.