diff --git a/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor b/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor
index 93cbabe0d4..74aef68a70 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/cfg/builder/builder-tests.factor
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ IN: compiler.cfg.builder.tests
 ] when
 
 ! Regression. Make sure everything is inlined correctly
-{ f } [ M\ hashtable set-at [ { [ ##call? ] [ word>> \ set-slot eq? ] } 1&& ] contains-insn? ] unit-test
+{ f } [ m: { hashtable set-at } [ { [ ##call? ] [ word>> \ set-slot eq? ] } 1&& ] contains-insn? ] unit-test
 
 ! Regression. Make sure branch splitting works.
 { 2 } [ [ 1 2 ? ] [ ##return? ] count-insns ] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/compiler/tests/optimizer.factor b/basis/compiler/tests/optimizer.factor
index b8f38110bf..c379cf834a 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/tests/optimizer.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/tests/optimizer.factor
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ IN: compiler.tests.optimizer
 GENERIC: xyz ( obj -- obj )
 M: array xyz xyz ;
 
-[ t ] [ M\ array xyz word-optimized? ] unit-test
+[ t ] [ m: { array xyz } word-optimized? ] unit-test
 
 ! Test predicate inlining
 : pred-test-1 ( a -- b c )
diff --git a/basis/compiler/tests/redefine14.factor b/basis/compiler/tests/redefine14.factor
index a72db4833c..ce99d8327e 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/tests/redefine14.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/tests/redefine14.factor
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ TUPLE: bad ;
 
 M: bad length 1 2 3 ;
 
-[ ] [ [ M\ bad length forget ] with-compilation-unit ] unit-test
+[ ] [ [ m: { bad length } forget ] with-compilation-unit ] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/compiler/tests/simple.factor b/basis/compiler/tests/simple.factor
index 1847c1a33d..20104b0fe3 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/tests/simple.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/tests/simple.factor
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ M: quotation bad-effect-test call ; inline
 [ bad-effect-test* ] [ not-compiled? ] must-fail-with
 
 ! Don't want compiler error to stick around
-[ ] [ [ M\ quotation bad-effect-test forget ] with-compilation-unit ] unit-test
+[ ] [ [ m: { quotation bad-effect-test } forget ] with-compilation-unit ] unit-test
 
 ! Make sure time bombs literalize
 [ [ \ + call ] compile-call ] [ no-method? ] must-fail-with
diff --git a/basis/compiler/tree/propagation/transforms/transforms.factor b/basis/compiler/tree/propagation/transforms/transforms.factor
index 75f9de07e3..eaea72ebec 100644
--- a/basis/compiler/tree/propagation/transforms/transforms.factor
+++ b/basis/compiler/tree/propagation/transforms/transforms.factor
@@ -302,17 +302,17 @@ CONSTANT: lookup-table-at-max 256
 : diff-quot ( seq -- quot: ( seq' -- seq'' ) )
     [ tester ] keep '[ members [ @ ] reject _ set-like ] ;
 
-M\ sets:set diff [ diff-quot ] 1 define-partial-eval
+m: { sets:set diff } [ diff-quot ] 1 define-partial-eval
 
 : intersect-quot ( seq -- quot: ( seq' -- seq'' ) )
     [ tester ] keep '[ members _ filter _ set-like ] ;
 
-M\ sets:set intersect [ intersect-quot ] 1 define-partial-eval
+m: { sets:set intersect } [ intersect-quot ] 1 define-partial-eval
 
 : intersects?-quot ( seq -- quot: ( seq' -- seq'' ) )
     tester '[ members _ any? ] ;
 
-M\ sets:set intersects? [ intersects?-quot ] 1 define-partial-eval
+m: { sets:set intersects? } [ intersects?-quot ] 1 define-partial-eval
 
 : bit-quot ( #call -- quot/f )
     in-d>> second value-info interval>> 0 fixnum-bits [a,b] interval-subset?
diff --git a/basis/hints/hints-tests.factor b/basis/hints/hints-tests.factor
index 940edf6f0a..067bab3296 100644
--- a/basis/hints/hints-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/hints/hints-tests.factor
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@ GENERIC: blahblah ( a b c -- )
 
 M: hashtable blahblah 2nip [ 1 + ] change-count drop ;
 
-HINTS: M\ hashtable blahblah { object fixnum object } { object word object } ;
+HINTS: m: { hashtable blahblah } { object fixnum object } { object word object } ;
 
-{ t } [ M\ hashtable blahblah { count>> count<< } inlined? ] unit-test
+{ t } [ m: { hashtable blahblah } { count>> count<< } inlined? ] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/hints/hints.factor b/basis/hints/hints.factor
index ea6a432756..063157e019 100644
--- a/basis/hints/hints.factor
+++ b/basis/hints/hints.factor
@@ -135,10 +135,10 @@ set-specializer
 
 \ base> { string fixnum } set-specializer
 
-M\ hashtable at*
+m: { hashtable at* }
 { { fixnum object } { word object } }
 set-specializer
 
-M\ hashtable set-at
+m: { hashtable set-at }
 { { object fixnum object } { object word object } }
 set-specializer
diff --git a/basis/locals/locals-tests.factor b/basis/locals/locals-tests.factor
index 355b7fa054..0d217e6f00 100644
--- a/basis/locals/locals-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/locals/locals-tests.factor
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ GENERIC: lambda-method-forget-test ( a -- b )
 
 M:: integer lambda-method-forget-test ( a -- b ) a ;
 
-{ } [ [ M\ integer lambda-method-forget-test forget ] with-compilation-unit ] unit-test
+{ } [ [ m: { integer lambda-method-forget-test } forget ] with-compilation-unit ] unit-test
 
 { 10 } [ 10 |[ A | { [ A ] } ] call first call ] unit-test
 
diff --git a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
index c5d498bb97..29fec32de5 100644
--- a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ M: word pprint*
 
 M: method pprint*
     <block
-    [ \ M\ pprint-word "method-class" word-prop pprint* ]
+    \ \m: pprint-word \ \{ pprint-word
+    [  "method-class" word-prop pprint* ]
     [ "method-generic" word-prop pprint-word ] bi
+    \ \} pprint-word
     block> ;
 
 : pprint-prefixed-number ( n quot: ( n -- n' ) pre -- )
diff --git a/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor b/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor
index 9887171a50..168632d548 100644
--- a/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/prettyprint/prettyprint-tests.factor
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ GENERIC: generic-see-test-with-f ( obj -- obj )
 M: f generic-see-test-with-f ;
 
 { "USING: prettyprint.tests ;\nM: f generic-see-test-with-f ;\n" } [
-    [ M\ f generic-see-test-with-f see ] with-string-writer
+    [ m: { f generic-see-test-with-f } see ] with-string-writer
 ] unit-test
 
 PREDICATE: predicate-see-test < integer even? ;
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ GENERIC: ended-up-ballin' ( a -- b )
 M: started-out-hustlin' ended-up-ballin' ; inline
 
 { "USING: prettyprint.tests ;\nM: started-out-hustlin' ended-up-ballin' ; inline\n" } [
-    [ M\ started-out-hustlin' ended-up-ballin' see ] with-string-writer
+    [ m: { started-out-hustlin' ended-up-ballin' } see ] with-string-writer
 ] unit-test
 
 TUPLE: tuple-with-declared-slot { x integer } ;
@@ -400,13 +400,13 @@ TUPLE: bob a b ;
 TUPLE: har a ;
 GENERIC: harhar ( obj -- obj )
 M: maybe{ har } harhar ;
-M: integer harhar M\ integer harhar drop ;
+M: integer harhar m: { integer harhar } drop ;
 {
 "USING: prettyprint.tests ;
 M: maybe{ har } harhar ;
 
 USING: kernel math prettyprint.tests ;
-M: integer harhar M\\ integer harhar drop ;\n"
+M: integer harhar m: { integer harhar } drop ;\n"
 } [
     [ \ harhar see-methods ] with-string-writer
 ] unit-test
diff --git a/basis/random/unix/unix.factor b/basis/random/unix/unix.factor
index ffddde9f5b..3390ae2ed0 100644
--- a/basis/random/unix/unix.factor
+++ b/basis/random/unix/unix.factor
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ M: unix-random dispose reader>> dispose ;
 
 M: unix-random random-bytes* ( n tuple -- byte-array )
     reader>> stream-read ;
-HINTS: M\ unix-random random-bytes* { fixnum unix-random } ;
+HINTS: m: { unix-random random-bytes* } { fixnum unix-random } ;
 
 [
     "/dev/random" <unix-random> &dispose secure-random-generator set-global
diff --git a/basis/tools/annotations/annotations-tests.factor b/basis/tools/annotations/annotations-tests.factor
index 77fa6bf989..ff476b28ee 100644
--- a/basis/tools/annotations/annotations-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/tools/annotations/annotations-tests.factor
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ GENERIC: blah-generic ( a -- b )
 
 M: string blah-generic ;
 
-{ } [ M\ string blah-generic watch ] unit-test
+{ } [ m: { string blah-generic } watch ] unit-test
 
 { "hi" } [ "hi" blah-generic ] unit-test
 
diff --git a/basis/tools/crossref/crossref-tests.factor b/basis/tools/crossref/crossref-tests.factor
index 7b445f1642..8a295bd149 100644
--- a/basis/tools/crossref/crossref-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/tools/crossref/crossref-tests.factor
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ M: sequence generic-forget-test-2 = ;
 ] unit-test
 
 { } [
-    [ M\ sequence generic-forget-test-2 forget ] with-compilation-unit
+    [ m: { sequence generic-forget-test-2 } forget ] with-compilation-unit
 ] unit-test
 
 { f } [
diff --git a/basis/ui/traverse/traverse-tests.factor b/basis/ui/traverse/traverse-tests.factor
index b1ff99c08b..33dd92622c 100644
--- a/basis/ui/traverse/traverse-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/ui/traverse/traverse-tests.factor
@@ -62,4 +62,4 @@ M: object (flatten-tree) , ;
     { 0 1 } { 2 0 1 } { { "a" "b" "c" "d" } { "e" "f" "g" } { { "h" "i" } "j" } } gadgets-in-range
 ] unit-test
 
-[ M\ array children>> forget ] with-compilation-unit
+[ m: { array children>> } forget ] with-compilation-unit
diff --git a/core/classes/intersection/intersection-tests.factor b/core/classes/intersection/intersection-tests.factor
index a9bdb71c30..464c11c180 100644
--- a/core/classes/intersection/intersection-tests.factor
+++ b/core/classes/intersection/intersection-tests.factor
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ M: a x drop a ;
 { a } [ T{ a2 } x ] unit-test
 
 { t } [ T{ a3 } c? ] unit-test
-{ t } [ T{ a3 } \ x effective-method M\ c x eq? nip ] unit-test
+{ t } [ T{ a3 } \ x effective-method m: { c x } eq? nip ] unit-test
 { c } [ T{ a3 } x ] unit-test
 
 ! More complex case
diff --git a/core/classes/tuple/tuple-tests.factor b/core/classes/tuple/tuple-tests.factor
index 5c9338a6d7..2f6735c472 100644
--- a/core/classes/tuple/tuple-tests.factor
+++ b/core/classes/tuple/tuple-tests.factor
@@ -133,9 +133,9 @@ M: forget-robustness forget-robustness-generic ;
 M: integer forget-robustness-generic ;
 
 [
-    [ ] [ \ forget-robustness-generic forget ] unit-test
-    [ ] [ \ forget-robustness forget ] unit-test
-    [ ] [ M\ forget-robustness forget-robustness-generic forget ] unit-test
+    [ ] [ m: { forget-robustness-generic } forget ] unit-test
+    [ ] [ m: { forget-robustness } forget ] unit-test
+    [ ] [ m: { forget-robustness forget-robustness-generic } forget ] unit-test
 ] with-compilation-unit
 
 ! rapido found this one
diff --git a/core/generic/generic-docs.factor b/core/generic/generic-docs.factor
index 69ac46d1d6..a18f41440b 100644
--- a/core/generic/generic-docs.factor
+++ b/core/generic/generic-docs.factor
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ $nl
 "Low-level method constructor:"
 { $subsections <method> }
 "Methods may be pushed on the stack with a literal syntax:"
-{ $subsections postpone: \M\ }
+{ $subsections postpone: \m: }
 { $see-also "see" } ;
 
 ARTICLE: "method-combination" "Custom method combination"
@@ -126,10 +126,10 @@ HELP: define-generic
 { $description "Defines a generic word. A method combination is an object which responds to the " { $link perform-combination } " generic word." }
 { $contract "The method combination quotation is called each time the generic word has to be updated (for example, when a method is added), and thus must be side-effect free." } ;
 
-HELP: M\
-{ $syntax "M\\ class generic" }
+HELP: \m:
+{ $syntax "m: { class generic }" }
 { $description "Pushes a method on the stack." }
-{ $examples { $code "M\\ fixnum + see" } { $code "USING: ui.gadgets.editors ui.render ;" "M\\ editor draw-gadget* edit" } } ;
+{ $examples { $code "m: { fixnum + } see" } { $code "USING: ui.gadgets.editors ui.render ;" "m: { editor draw-gadget* } edit" } } ;
 
 HELP: method
 { $class-description "The class of method bodies, which are words with special word properties set." } ;
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ HELP: (call-next-method)
     "The " { $link postpone: call-next-method } " word parses into this word. The following are equivalent:"
     { $code
         "M: class generic call-next-method ;"
-        "M: class generic M\\ class generic (call-next-method) ;"
+        "M: class generic m: { class generic } (call-next-method) ;"
     }
 } ;
 
diff --git a/core/generic/hook/hook-tests.factor b/core/generic/hook/hook-tests.factor
index cd28006384..fd9902ec89 100644
--- a/core/generic/hook/hook-tests.factor
+++ b/core/generic/hook/hook-tests.factor
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ M: growable call-next-hooker call-next-method "growable " prepend ;
 ] unit-test
 
 { t } [
-    { } \ nth effective-method nip M\ sequence nth eq?
+    { } \ nth effective-method nip m: { sequence nth } eq?
 ] unit-test
 
 { t } [
diff --git a/core/generic/standard/standard-tests.factor b/core/generic/standard/standard-tests.factor
index bc48c2f2bd..1a8d313a86 100644
--- a/core/generic/standard/standard-tests.factor
+++ b/core/generic/standard/standard-tests.factor
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ GENERIC: forget-test ( a -- b )
 
 M: integer forget-test 3 + ;
 
-{ } [ "IN: generic.standard.tests USE: math FORGET: M\\ integer forget-test" eval( -- ) ] unit-test
+{ } [ "IN: generic.standard.tests USE: math FORGET: m: { integer forget-test }" eval( -- ) ] unit-test
 
 { { } } [
     \ + all-dependencies-of keys [ method? ] filter
@@ -412,13 +412,13 @@ GENERIC: flushable-generic ( a -- b ) flushable
 M: integer flushable-generic ;
 
 { t } [ \ flushable-generic flushable? ] unit-test
-{ t } [ M\ integer flushable-generic flushable? ] unit-test
+{ t } [ m: { integer flushable-generic } flushable? ] unit-test
 
 GENERIC: non-flushable-generic ( a -- b )
 M: integer non-flushable-generic ; flushable
 
 { f } [ \ non-flushable-generic flushable? ] unit-test
-{ t } [ M\ integer non-flushable-generic flushable? ] unit-test
+{ t } [ m: { integer non-flushable-generic } flushable? ] unit-test
 
 ! method-for-object, method-for-class, effective-method
 GENERIC: foozul ( a -- b )
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ M: reversed foozul ;
 M: integer foozul ;
 M: slice foozul ;
 
-{ } [ reversed \ foozul method-for-class M\ reversed foozul assert= ] unit-test
+{ } [ reversed \ foozul method-for-class m: { reversed foozul } assert= ] unit-test
 { } [ { 1 2 3 } <reversed> \ foozul method-for-object M\ reversed foozul assert= ] unit-test
 { } [ { 1 2 3 } <reversed> \ foozul effective-method M\ reversed foozul assert= drop ] unit-test
 
diff --git a/core/syntax/syntax.factor b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
index 5adb7ed5fb..3f0a87059d 100644
--- a/core/syntax/syntax.factor
+++ b/core/syntax/syntax.factor
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ IN: bootstrap.syntax
     "postpone:" [ scan-syntax-word suffix! ] define-core-syntax
     "\\" [ scan-word <wrapper> suffix! ] define-core-syntax
     "M\\" [ scan-word scan-word lookup-method <wrapper> suffix! ] define-core-syntax
+    "m:" [ scan-object first2 lookup-method <wrapper> suffix! ] define-core-syntax
     "inline" [ last-word make-inline ] define-core-syntax
     "recursive" [ last-word make-recursive ] define-core-syntax
     "foldable" [ last-word make-foldable ] define-core-syntax
diff --git a/extra/benchmark/raytracer/raytracer.factor b/extra/benchmark/raytracer/raytracer.factor
index d035e92827..7c65f22ac9 100644
--- a/extra/benchmark/raytracer/raytracer.factor
+++ b/extra/benchmark/raytracer/raytracer.factor
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ C: <sphere> sphere
 M: sphere intersect-scene ( hit ray sphere -- hit )
     [ [ sphere-n normalize ] keep <hit> nip ] if-ray-sphere ;
 
-HINTS: M\ sphere intersect-scene { hit ray sphere } ;
+HINTS: m: { sphere intersect-scene } { hit ray sphere } ;
 
 TUPLE: group < sphere { objs array read-only } ;
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ TUPLE: group < sphere { objs array read-only } ;
 M: group intersect-scene ( hit ray group -- hit )
     [ drop objs>> [ intersect-scene ] with each ] if-ray-sphere ;
 
-HINTS: M\ group intersect-scene { hit ray group } ;
+HINTS: m: { group intersect-scene } { hit ray group } ;
 
 CONSTANT: initial-hit T{ hit f double-array{ 0.0 0.0 0.0 } 1/0. }