Go forward to Modifiers.
Go backward to Event Designators.
Go up to History Interaction.
Word Designators
----------------
Word designators are used to select desired words from the event. A
`:' separates the event specification from the word designator. It can
be omitted if the word designator begins with a `^', `$', `*', `-', or
`%'. Words are numbered from the beginning of the line, with the first
word being denoted by 0 (zero). Words are inserted into the current
line separated by single spaces.
`0 (zero)'
The `0'th word. For many applications, this is the command word.
`N'
The Nth word.
`^'
The first argument; that is, word 1.
`$'
The last argument.
`%'
The word matched by the most recent `?STRING?' search.
`X-Y'
A range of words; `-Y' abbreviates `0-Y'.
`*'
All of the words, except the `0'th. This is a synonym for `1-$'.
It is not an error to use `*' if there is just one word in the
event; the empty string is returned in that case.
`X*'
Abbreviates `X-$'
`X-'
Abbreviates `X-$' like `X*', but omits the last word.
If a word designator is supplied without an event specification, the
previous command is used as the event.