diff --git a/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor b/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
index 380c9b2348..c7d87776a1 100644
--- a/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
+++ b/basis/bootstrap/image/image.factor
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ IN: bootstrap.image
     os name>> cpu name>> arch ;
 
 : boot-image-name ( arch -- string )
-    "boot." swap ".image" 3append ;
+    "boot." ".image" surround ;
 
 : my-boot-image-name ( -- string )
     my-arch boot-image-name ;
diff --git a/basis/db/sqlite/sqlite.factor b/basis/db/sqlite/sqlite.factor
index 4e96fb5a4d..32c5ca0075 100644
--- a/basis/db/sqlite/sqlite.factor
+++ b/basis/db/sqlite/sqlite.factor
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ M: sqlite-db <insert-user-assigned-statement> ( tuple -- statement )
 
 M: sqlite-db bind# ( spec obj -- )
     [
-        [ column-name>> ":" swap next-sql-counter 3append dup 0% ]
+        [ column-name>> ":" next-sql-counter surround dup 0% ]
         [ type>> ] bi
     ] dip <literal-bind> 1, ;
 
diff --git a/basis/html/elements/elements.factor b/basis/html/elements/elements.factor
index fa92f18d34..2149bf7bf6 100644
--- a/basis/html/elements/elements.factor
+++ b/basis/html/elements/elements.factor
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ SYMBOL: html
     #! dynamically creating words.
     [ elements-vocab create ] 2dip define-declared ;
 
-: <foo> ( str -- <str> ) "<" swap ">" 3append ;
+: <foo> ( str -- <str> ) "<" ">" surround ;
 
 : def-for-html-word-<foo> ( name -- )
     #! Return the name and code for the <foo> patterned
@@ -49,14 +49,14 @@ SYMBOL: html
     #! word.
     foo> [ ">" write-html ] (( -- )) html-word ;
 
-: </foo> ( str -- </str> ) "</" swap ">" 3append ;
+: </foo> ( str -- </str> ) "</" ">" surround ;
 
 : def-for-html-word-</foo> ( name -- )
     #! Return the name and code for the </foo> patterned
     #! word.
     </foo> dup '[ _ write-html ] (( -- )) html-word ;
 
-: <foo/> ( str -- <str/> ) "<" swap "/>" 3append ;
+: <foo/> ( str -- <str/> ) "<" "/>" surround ;
 
 : def-for-html-word-<foo/> ( name -- )
     #! Return the name and code for the <foo/> patterned
diff --git a/basis/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor b/basis/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor
index 212b405a54..fd31ca999f 100644
--- a/basis/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor
+++ b/basis/io/windows/launcher/launcher.factor
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ TUPLE: CreateProcess-args
 
 : escape-argument ( str -- newstr )
     CHAR: \s over member? [
-        "\"" swap fix-trailing-backslashes "\"" 3append
+        fix-trailing-backslashes "\"" dup surround
     ] when ;
 
 : join-arguments ( args -- cmd-line )
diff --git a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
index 7a5b16a3c2..76c3918f63 100644
--- a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ IN: prettyprint.backend
 
 GENERIC: pprint* ( obj -- )
 
-M: effect pprint* effect>string "(" swap ")" 3append text ;
+M: effect pprint* effect>string "(" ")" surround text ;
 
 : ?effect-height ( word -- n )
     stack-effect [ effect-height ] [ 0 ] if* ;
diff --git a/basis/smtp/smtp.factor b/basis/smtp/smtp.factor
index 7f14945633..f689ad0858 100644
--- a/basis/smtp/smtp.factor
+++ b/basis/smtp/smtp.factor
@@ -72,10 +72,12 @@ ERROR: bad-email-address email ;
     [ bad-email-address ] unless ;
 
 : mail-from ( fromaddr -- )
-    "MAIL FROM:<" swap validate-address ">" 3append command ;
+    validate-address
+    "MAIL FROM:<" ">" surround command ;
 
 : rcpt-to ( to -- )
-    "RCPT TO:<" swap validate-address ">" 3append command ;
+    validate-address
+    "RCPT TO:<" ">" surround command ;
 
 : data ( -- )
     "DATA" command ;
diff --git a/basis/tools/vocabs/browser/browser.factor b/basis/tools/vocabs/browser/browser.factor
index 4cd5653ab4..e9e8d27870 100644
--- a/basis/tools/vocabs/browser/browser.factor
+++ b/basis/tools/vocabs/browser/browser.factor
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ M: vocab-spec article-parent drop "vocab-index" ;
 M: vocab-tag >link ;
 
 M: vocab-tag article-title
-    name>> "Vocabularies tagged ``" swap "''" 3append ;
+    name>> "Vocabularies tagged ``" "''" surround ;
 
 M: vocab-tag article-name name>> ;
 
diff --git a/basis/ui/freetype/freetype.factor b/basis/ui/freetype/freetype.factor
index b0d152fc88..6c0eaaa9ac 100644
--- a/basis/ui/freetype/freetype.factor
+++ b/basis/ui/freetype/freetype.factor
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ M: freetype-renderer free-fonts ( world -- )
     } at ;
 
 : ttf-path ( name -- string )
-    "resource:fonts/" swap ".ttf" 3append ;
+    "resource:fonts/" ".ttf" surround ;
 
 : (open-face) ( path length -- face )
     #! We use FT_New_Memory_Face, not FT_New_Face, since
diff --git a/basis/ui/tools/deploy/deploy.factor b/basis/ui/tools/deploy/deploy.factor
index 127269b325..f023b0959a 100644
--- a/basis/ui/tools/deploy/deploy.factor
+++ b/basis/ui/tools/deploy/deploy.factor
@@ -119,5 +119,5 @@ deploy-gadget "toolbar" f {
 : deploy-tool ( vocab -- )
     vocab-name
     [ <deploy-gadget> 10 <border> ]
-    [ "Deploying \"" swap "\"" 3append ] bi
+    [ "Deploying \"" "\"" surround ] bi
     open-window ;