diff --git a/collections/sequences/extras/extras.factor b/collections/sequences/extras/extras.factor
index cafd9209f4..ad99419d0e 100644
--- a/collections/sequences/extras/extras.factor
+++ b/collections/sequences/extras/extras.factor
@@ -544,6 +544,15 @@ PRIVATE>
         [ drop first4-unsafe ]
     } case ;
 
+! : ?head* ( seq n -- headseq ) from-end short head ;
+! : ?tail* ( seq n -- tailseq ) from-end short tail ;
+! : ?cut* ( seq n -- before after ) [ ?head* ] [ ?tail* ] 2bi ;
+
+! : ?head-slice* ( seq n -- slice ) from-end ?head-slice ; inline
+! : ?tail-slice* ( seq n -- slice ) from-end ?tail-slice ; inline
+! : ?head*-as ( seq n exemplar -- seq' ) [ ?head-slice* ] [ like ] bi* ; inline
+! : ?tail*-as ( seq n exemplar -- seq' ) [ ?tail-slice* ] [ like ] bi* ; inline
+
 : cut-when ( ... seq quot: ( ... elt -- ... ? ) -- ... before after )
     [ find drop ] 2keep drop swap
     [ cut ] [ f over like ] if* ; inline
diff --git a/core/math/ranges/ranges.factor b/core/math/ranges/ranges.factor
index b1ad913aae..45c5a72a31 100644
--- a/core/math/ranges/ranges.factor
+++ b/core/math/ranges/ranges.factor
@@ -38,19 +38,19 @@ PRIVATE<
 
 : twiddle ( a b -- a b step ) 2dup > -1 1 ? ; inline
 
-: (a, ( a b step -- a' b' step ) dup [ + ] curry 2dip ; inline
+: (a,) ( a b step -- a' b' step ) dup [ + ] curry 2dip ; inline
 
-: ,b) ( a b step -- a' b' step ) dup [ - ] curry dip ; inline
+: (,b) ( a b step -- a' b' step ) dup [ - ] curry dip ; inline
 
 PRIVATE>
 
 : [a,b] ( a b -- range ) twiddle <range> ; inline
 
-: (a,b] ( a b -- range ) twiddle (a, <range> ; inline
+: (a,b] ( a b -- range ) twiddle (a,) <range> ; inline
 
-: [a,b) ( a b -- range ) twiddle ,b) <range> ; inline
+: [a,b) ( a b -- range ) twiddle (,b) <range> ; inline
 
-: (a,b) ( a b -- range ) twiddle (a, ,b) <range> ; inline
+: (a,b) ( a b -- range ) twiddle (a,) (,b) <range> ; inline
 
 : [0,b] ( b -- range ) 0 swap [a,b] ; inline
 
diff --git a/core/modern/modern.factor b/core/modern/modern.factor
index f46a6714fc..63caa2f350 100644
--- a/core/modern/modern.factor
+++ b/core/modern/modern.factor
@@ -162,14 +162,15 @@ M: array collapse-decorators
         drop f
     ] if ;
 
-: delimiters-match? ( opening closing -- ? )
-    [
-        1 cut* over empty? [
-            nip matching-delimiter-string 1array
-        ] [
-            matching-delimiter-string [ append ] [ nip ] 2bi 2array
-        ] if
-    ] dip '[ _ sequence= ] any? ;
+ERROR: no-start-delimiter lexer opening ;
+:: delimiters-match? ( lexer opening closing -- ? )
+    opening empty? [ lexer opening closing no-start-delimiter ] when
+
+    opening 1 cut* over empty? [
+        nip matching-delimiter-string 1array
+    ] [
+        matching-delimiter-string [ append ] [ nip ] 2bi 2array
+    ] if closing '[ _ sequence= ] any? ;
 
 
 ERROR: whitespace-expected-after n string ch ;
@@ -423,7 +424,7 @@ ERROR: backslash-expects-whitespace slice ;
 
 ERROR: mismatched-terminator lexer slice ;
 : read-terminator ( lexer slice -- slice )
-    2dup [ peek-tag ] dip delimiters-match? [
+    2dup [ dup peek-tag ] dip delimiters-match? [
         nip terminator-literal make-tag-class-literal
     ] [
         mismatched-terminator
@@ -483,21 +484,21 @@ MACRO: rules>call-lexer ( seq -- quot: ( lexer string -- literal ) )
 
 CONSTANT: factor-lexing-rules {
     T{ line-comment-lexer { generator read-exclamation } { delimiter char: \! } }
-    T{ backtick-lexer { generator read-backtick } { delimiter char: ` } }
+    T{ backtick-lexer { generator read-backtick } { delimiter char: \` } }
     T{ backslash-lexer { generator read-backslash } { delimiter char: \\ } }
     T{ dquote-lexer { generator read-string } { delimiter char: \" } { escape char: \\ } }
-    T{ decorator-lexer { generator read-decorator } { delimiter char: @ } }
+    T{ decorator-lexer { generator read-decorator } { delimiter char: \@ } }
     
     T{ colon-lexer { generator read-colon } { delimiter char: \: } }
-    T{ less-than-lexer { generator read-less-than } { delimiter char: < } }
+    T{ less-than-lexer { generator read-less-than } { delimiter char: \< } }
     T{ matched-lexer { generator read-bracket } { delimiter char: \[ } }
     T{ matched-lexer { generator read-brace } { delimiter char: \{ } }
     T{ matched-lexer { generator read-paren } { delimiter char: \( } }
     
-    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: ; } }
-    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: ] } }
-    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: } } }
-    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: ) } }
+    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: \; } }
+    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: \] } }
+    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: \} } }
+    T{ terminator-lexer { generator read-terminator } { delimiter char: \) } }
     
     T{ whitespace-lexer { generator read-token-or-whitespace } { delimiter char: \s } }
     T{ whitespace-lexer { generator read-token-or-whitespace } { delimiter char: \r } }
diff --git a/core/strings/parser/parser.factor b/core/strings/parser/parser.factor
index 91a8e7172a..11ac31057f 100644
--- a/core/strings/parser/parser.factor
+++ b/core/strings/parser/parser.factor
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ name>char-hook [
 
 : unicode-escape ( str -- ch str' )
     "{" ?head-slice [
-        char: } over index cut-slice [
+        char: \} over index cut-slice [
             dup hex> [
                 nip
             ] [
diff --git a/core/syntax/syntax.factor b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
index 0f6de42078..ac727a2ae3 100644
--- a/core/syntax/syntax.factor
+++ b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
@@ -188,12 +188,12 @@ in: bootstrap.syntax
     ] define-core-syntax
 
     "DEFER:" [
-        scan-token current-vocab create-word
+        scan-new-escaped
         [ fake-definition ] [ set-last-word ] [ undefined-def define ] tri
     ] define-core-syntax
 
     "defer:" [
-        scan-token current-vocab create-word
+        scan-new-escaped
         [ fake-definition ] [ set-last-word ] [ undefined-def define ] tri
     ] define-core-syntax
 
diff --git a/language/functors/functors.factor b/language/functors/functors.factor
index 8ee6e2452e..47f9782775 100644
--- a/language/functors/functors.factor
+++ b/language/functors/functors.factor
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ FUNCTOR-SYNTAX: \ MACRO:
     \ define-macro suffix! ;
 
 FUNCTOR-SYNTAX: inline [ last-word make-inline ] append! ;
-FUNCTOR-SYNTAX: @inline [ last-word make-inline ] append! ;
+FUNCTOR-SYNTAX: \ @inline [ last-word make-inline ] append! ;
 
 FUNCTOR-SYNTAX: call-next-method T{ fake-call-next-method } suffix! ;
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ SYNTAX: DEFINES-PRIVATE [ begin-private create-word-in end-private ] (INTERPOLAT
 
 SYNTAX: DEFINES-CLASS [ create-class-in ] (INTERPOLATE) ;
 
-defer: FUNCTOR; delimiter
+defer: \ FUNCTOR> delimiter
 
 PRIVATE<
 
@@ -185,4 +185,4 @@ PRIVATE<
 
 PRIVATE>
 
-SYNTAX: \ FUNCTOR: (FUNCTOR:) define-declared ;
+SYNTAX: \ FUNCTOR< (FUNCTOR:) define-declared ;
diff --git a/language/interpolate/interpolate.factor b/language/interpolate/interpolate.factor
index 3322ccd16a..9b8dfccce0 100644
--- a/language/interpolate/interpolate.factor
+++ b/language/interpolate/interpolate.factor
@@ -85,6 +85,6 @@ MACRO: interpolate-locals ( str -- quot )
 : interpolate-locals>string ( str -- newstr )
     [ interpolate-locals ] with-string-writer ; inline
 
-SYNTAX: I[[
+SYNTAX: \ I[[
     "]]" parse-multiline-string
     interpolate-locals-quot append! ;
diff --git a/language/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor b/language/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
index cdc366de32..85249cd192 100644
--- a/language/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
+++ b/language/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ vocabs.prettyprint words ;
 in: prettyprint
 
 : with-use ( obj quot -- )
-    t make-pprint (pprint-manifest
-    [ pprint-manifest) ] [ [ drop nl ] unless-empty ] bi
+    t make-pprint pprint-manifest-begin
+    [ pprint-manifest-end ] [ [ drop nl ] unless-empty ] bi
     do-pprint ; inline
 
 : with-in ( obj quot -- )
diff --git a/language/see/see.factor b/language/see/see.factor
index 5c1c18efec..ddd7d75c40 100644
--- a/language/see/see.factor
+++ b/language/see/see.factor
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ M: word declarations.
         postpone\ flushable
     } [ declaration. ] with each ;
 
-: pprint-; ( -- ) \ ; pprint-word ;
+: pprint-semi ( -- ) \ ; pprint-word ;
 
 M: object see*
     [
@@ -143,12 +143,12 @@ GENERIC: see-class* ( word -- ) ;
 M: union-class see-class*
     <colon \ UNION: pprint-word
     dup pprint-word
-    class-members pprint-elements pprint-; block> ;
+    class-members pprint-elements pprint-semi block> ;
 
 M: intersection-class see-class*
     <colon \ INTERSECTION: pprint-word
     dup pprint-word
-    class-participants pprint-elements pprint-; block> ;
+    class-participants pprint-elements pprint-semi block> ;
 
 M: mixin-class see-class*
     <block \ mixin: pprint-word
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ M: predicate-class see-class*
     dup superclass-of pprint-word
     <block
     "predicate-definition" word-prop pprint-elements
-    pprint-; block> block> ;
+    pprint-semi block> block> ;
 
 M: singleton-class see-class* ( class -- )
     \ singleton: pprint-word pprint-word ;
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ M: tuple-class see-class*
     {
         [ pprint-word ]
         [ superclass. ]
-        [ <block "slots" word-prop [ pprint-slot ] each block> pprint-; ]
+        [ <block "slots" word-prop [ pprint-slot ] each block> pprint-semi ]
         [ tuple-declarations. ]
     } cleave
     block> ;
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ M: builtin-class see-class*
     <block
     \ BUILTIN: pprint-word
     [ pprint-word ]
-    [ <block "slots" word-prop [ pprint-slot ] each pprint-; block> ] bi
+    [ <block "slots" word-prop [ pprint-slot ] each pprint-semi block> ] bi
     block> ;
 
 : see-class ( class -- )
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ M: error-class see-class*
     {
         [ pprint-word ]
         [ superclass. ]
-        [ <block "slots" word-prop [ name>> pprint-slot-name ] each block> pprint-; ]
+        [ <block "slots" word-prop [ name>> pprint-slot-name ] each block> pprint-semi ]
         [ tuple-declarations. ]
     } cleave
     block> ;
diff --git a/language/tuple-arrays/tuple-arrays.factor b/language/tuple-arrays/tuple-arrays.factor
index 099f13031c..2b210cada8 100644
--- a/language/tuple-arrays/tuple-arrays.factor
+++ b/language/tuple-arrays/tuple-arrays.factor
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ MACRO: write-tuple ( class -- quot )
 
 PRIVATE>
 
-FUNCTOR: define-tuple-array ( CLASS -- )
+FUNCTOR< define-tuple-array ( CLASS -- )
 
 CLASS IS ${CLASS}
 
@@ -71,6 +71,6 @@ M: CLASS-array like drop dup CLASS-array? [ >CLASS-array ] unless ; inline
 
 INSTANCE: CLASS-array sequence ;
 
-FUNCTOR;
+FUNCTOR>
 
 SYNTAX: \ tuple-array: scan-word define-tuple-array ;
diff --git a/language/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor b/language/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
index 3aaba88f7c..a96f6fbec6 100644
--- a/language/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
+++ b/language/vocabs/prettyprint/prettyprint.factor
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ M: rename pprint-qualified ( rename -- )
 
 PRIVATE>
 
-: (pprint-manifest ( manifest -- quots )
+: pprint-manifest-begin ( manifest -- quots )
     [
         [ search-vocabs>> [ '[ _ pprint-using ] , ] unless-empty ]
         [ qualified-vocabs>> filter-interesting [ '[ _ pprint-qualified ] , ] each ]
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ PRIVATE>
         tri
     ] { } make ;
 
-: pprint-manifest) ( quots -- )
+: pprint-manifest-end ( quots -- )
     [ nl ] [ call( -- ) ] interleave ;
 
 : pprint-manifest ( manifest -- )
-    (pprint-manifest pprint-manifest) ;
+    pprint-manifest-begin pprint-manifest-end ;
 
 CONSTANT: manifest-style H{
     { page-color color: FactorLightTan }