-@samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?} are @dfn{greedy} in that they match as much
-as they can, while if you append a @samp{?} after them, it makes them
-non-greedy: they will match as little as possible.
-
-@item \@{@var{n},@var{m}\@}
-is another postfix operator that specifies an interval of iteration:
-the preceding regular expression must match between @var{n} and
-@var{m} times. If @var{m} is omitted, then there is no upper bound
-and if @samp{,@var{m}} is omitted, then the regular expression must match
-exactly @var{n} times. @*
-@samp{\@{0,1\@}} is equivalent to @samp{?}. @*
-@samp{\@{0,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{*}. @*
-@samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}. @*
-@samp{\@{@var{n}\@}} is equivalent to @samp{\@{@var{n},@var{n}\@}}.
-
-@item [ @dots{} ]
+@samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?} are @dfn{greedy} in that they match as
+much as they can, as long as the overall regexp can still match. With
+a following @samp{?}, they are non-greedy: they will match as little
+as possible.
+
+Thus, both @samp{ab*} and @samp{ab*?} can match the string @samp{a}
+and the string @samp{abbbb}; but if you try to match them both against
+the text @samp{abbb}, @samp{ab*} will match it all (the longest valid
+match), while @samp{ab*?} will match just @samp{a} (the shortest
+valid match).
+
+Non-greedy operators match the shortest possible string starting at a
+given starting point; in a forward search, though, the earliest
+possible starting point for match is always the one chosen. Thus, if
+you search for @samp{a.*?$} against the text @samp{abbab} followed by
+a newline, it matches the whole string. Since it @emph{can} match
+starting at the first @samp{a}, it does.
+
+@item @kbd{\@{@var{n}\@}}
+is a postfix operator that specifies repetition @var{n} times---that
+is, the preceding regular expression must match exactly @var{n} times
+in a row. For example, @samp{x\@{4\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxx}
+and nothing else.
+
+@item @kbd{\@{@var{n},@var{m}\@}}
+is a postfix operator that specifies repetition between @var{n} and
+@var{m} times---that is, the preceding regular expression must match
+at least @var{n} times, but no more than @var{m} times. If @var{m} is
+omitted, then there is no upper limit, but the preceding regular
+expression must match at least @var{n} times.@* @samp{\@{0,1\@}} is
+equivalent to @samp{?}. @* @samp{\@{0,\@}} is equivalent to
+@samp{*}. @* @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}.
+
+@item @kbd{[ @dots{} ]}