diff --git a/core/effects/effects.factor b/core/effects/effects.factor
index 0c082477c7..db6b2461b5 100644
--- a/core/effects/effects.factor
+++ b/core/effects/effects.factor
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ GENERIC: effect>string ( obj -- str )
 M: string effect>string ;
 M: word effect>string name>> ;
 M: integer effect>string number>string ;
-M: pair effect>string first2 [ effect>string ] bi@ ": " swap 3append ;
+M: pair effect>string first2 [ effect>string ] bi@ ": " glue ;
 
 : stack-picture ( seq -- string )
     dup integer? [ "object" <repetition> ] when
diff --git a/core/generic/generic.factor b/core/generic/generic.factor
index 0cd5a35623..4eb39291a0 100644
--- a/core/generic/generic.factor
+++ b/core/generic/generic.factor
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ TUPLE: check-method class generic ;
     3tri ; inline
 
 : method-word-name ( class word -- string )
-    [ name>> ] bi@ "=>" swap 3append ;
+    [ name>> ] bi@ "=>" glue ;
 
 PREDICATE: method-body < word
     "method-generic" word-prop >boolean ;
diff --git a/core/math/parser/parser.factor b/core/math/parser/parser.factor
index 8fc6e6dd9e..ac6c5e9790 100644
--- a/core/math/parser/parser.factor
+++ b/core/math/parser/parser.factor
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ M: ratio >base
         [
             [ numerator (>base) ]
             [ denominator (>base) ] bi
-            "/" swap 3append
+            "/" glue
         ] bi* append
         negative? get [ CHAR: - prefix ] when
     ] with-radix ;