-If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the
-search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the
-previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the
-function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise
-the search fails, with results depending on the value of
-@var{noerror}, as described above.
+If @var{repeat} is a positive number @var{n}, it serves as a repeat
+count: the search is repeated @var{n} times, each time starting at the
+end of the previous time's match. If these successive searches
+succeed, the function succeeds, moving point and returning its new
+value. Otherwise the search fails, with results depending on the
+value of @var{noerror}, as described above. If @var{repeat} is a
+negative number -@var{n}, it serves as a repeat count of @var{n} for a
+search in the opposite (backward) direction.