@findex define-global-abbrev
You can define an abbrev without inserting either the abbrev or its
expansion in the buffer using the command @code{define-global-abbrev}.
-It reads two arguments--the abbrev, and its expansion. The command
+It reads two arguments---the abbrev, and its expansion. The command
@code{define-mode-abbrev} does likewise for a mode-specific abbrev.
To change the definition of an abbrev, just define a new definition.
(@key{SPC}, comma, etc.@:). More precisely, any character that is not a
word constituent expands an abbrev, and any word-constituent character
can be part of an abbrev. The most common way to use an abbrev is to
-insert it and then insert a punctuation character to expand it.
+insert it and then insert a punctuation or whitespace character to expand it.
@vindex abbrev-all-caps
Abbrev expansion preserves case; thus, @samp{foo} expands into @samp{find
outer otter}; @samp{Foo} into @samp{Find outer otter}, and @samp{FOO} into
@samp{FIND OUTER OTTER} or @samp{Find Outer Otter} according to the
-variable @code{abbrev-all-caps} (a non-@code{nil} value chooses the first
-of the two expansions).
+variable @code{abbrev-all-caps} (setting it non-@code{nil} specifies
+@samp{FIND OUTER OTTER}).
These commands are used to control abbrev expansion:
@findex define-abbrevs
The commands @kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} and @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} are
similar to the previous commands but work on text in an Emacs buffer.
-@kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} inserts text into the current buffer before point,
+@kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} inserts text into the current buffer after point,
describing all current abbrev definitions; @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} parses
the entire current buffer and defines abbrevs accordingly.@refill
expressions, dynamic abbrev expansion skips that buffer.
A negative argument to @kbd{M-/}, as in @kbd{C-u - M-/}, says to
-search first for expansions after point, and second for expansions
-before point. If you repeat the @kbd{M-/} to look for another
-expansion, do not specify an argument. This tries all the expansions
-after point and then the expansions before point.
+search first for expansions after point, then other buffers, and
+consider expansions before point only as a last resort.
+
+ If you repeat the @kbd{M-/} to look for another expansion, do not
+specify an argument. This tries all the expansions after point and
+then the expansions before point.
After you have expanded a dynamic abbrev, you can copy additional
words that follow the expansion in its original context. Simply type
the variable @code{dabbrev-abbrev-skip-leading-regexp}. Its value
should be a regular expression that matches the optional prefix that
dynamic abbreviation should ignore.
+
+@ignore
+ arch-tag: 638e0079-9540-48ec-9166-414083e16445
+@end ignore