diff --git a/basis/tools/annotations/annotations.factor b/basis/tools/annotations/annotations.factor
index c836bfc2b6..9847b16bc2 100644
--- a/basis/tools/annotations/annotations.factor
+++ b/basis/tools/annotations/annotations.factor
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ M: word reset
     ] when
     [
         over dup def>> "unannotated-def" set-word-prop
-        >r dup def>> r> call define
+        [ dup def>> ] dip call define
     ] with-compilation-unit ; inline
 
 : word-inputs ( word -- seq )
     stack-effect [
-        >r datastack r> in>> length tail*
+        [ datastack ] dip in>> length tail*
     ] [
         datastack
     ] if* ;
@@ -41,34 +41,38 @@ M: word reset
     word-inputs stack.
     "\\--" print flush ;
 
+: word-outputs ( word -- seq )
+    stack-effect [
+        [ datastack ] dip out>> length tail*
+    ] [
+        datastack
+    ] if* ;
+
 : leaving ( str -- )
     "/-- Leaving: " write dup .
-    stack-effect [
-        >r datastack r> out>> length tail* stack.
-    ] [
-        .s
-    ] if* "\\--" print flush ;
+    word-outputs stack.
+     "\\--" print flush ;
 
-: (watch) ( word def -- def ) over '[ _ entering @ _ leaving ] ;
+: (watch) ( word def -- def )
+    over '[ _ entering @ _ leaving ] ;
 
 : watch ( word -- )
     dup [ (watch) ] annotate ;
 
-: (watch-vars) ( quot word vars -- newquot )
-    rot
+: (watch-vars) ( word vars quot -- newquot )
    '[
-        "--- Entering: "       write _ .
+        "--- Entering: " write _ .
         "--- Variable values:" print _ [ dup get ] H{ } map>assoc describe
         @
     ] ;
 
 : watch-vars ( word vars -- )
-    dupd [ (watch-vars) ] 2curry annotate ;
+    dupd '[ [ _ _ ] dip (watch-vars) ] annotate ;
 
 GENERIC# annotate-methods 1 ( word quot -- )
 
 M: generic annotate-methods
-    >r "methods" word-prop values r> [ annotate ] curry each ;
+    [ "methods" word-prop values ] dip [ annotate ] curry each ;
 
 M: word annotate-methods
     annotate ;
@@ -77,4 +81,4 @@ M: word annotate-methods
     [ add-breakpoint ] annotate-methods ;
 
 : breakpoint-if ( word quot -- )
-    [ [ [ break ] when ] rot 3append ] curry annotate-methods ;
+    '[ [ _ [ [ break ] when ] ] dip 3append ] annotate-methods ;