diff --git a/core/kernel/kernel-docs.factor b/core/kernel/kernel-docs.factor
index 289d39868c..40094d5589 100644
--- a/core/kernel/kernel-docs.factor
+++ b/core/kernel/kernel-docs.factor
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ HELP: 3compose
 } ;
 
 HELP: dip
-{ $values { "obj" object } { "quot" quotation } }
+{ $values { "x" object } { "quot" quotation } }
 { $description "Calls " { $snippet "quot" } " with " { $snippet "obj" } " hidden on the retain stack." }
 { $notes "The following are equivalent:"
     { $code ">r foo bar r>" }
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ HELP: dip
 } ;
 
 HELP: 2dip
-{ $values { "obj1" object } { "obj2" object } { "quot" quotation } }
+{ $values { "x" object } { "y" object } { "quot" quotation } }
 { $description "Calls " { $snippet "quot" } " with " { $snippet "obj1" } " and " { $snippet "obj2" } " hidden on the retain stack." }
 { $notes "The following are equivalent:"
     { $code ">r >r foo bar r> r>" }
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ HELP: 2dip
 } ;
 
 HELP: 3dip
-{ $values { "obj1" object } { "obj2" object } { "obj3" object } { "quot" quotation } }
+{ $values { "x" object } { "y" object } { "z" object } { "quot" quotation } }
 { $description "Calls " { $snippet "quot" } " with " { $snippet "obj1" } ", " { $snippet "obj2" } " and " { $snippet "obj3" } " hidden on the retain stack." }
 { $notes "The following are equivalent:"
     { $code ">r >r >r foo bar r> r> r>" }
diff --git a/core/kernel/kernel.factor b/core/kernel/kernel.factor
index 62e37ef301..18bead109d 100644
--- a/core/kernel/kernel.factor
+++ b/core/kernel/kernel.factor
@@ -55,18 +55,18 @@ DEFER: if
 
 : 3slip ( quot x y z -- x y z ) >r >r >r call r> r> r> ; inline
 
-: dip ( obj quot -- obj ) swap slip ; inline
+: dip ( x quot -- x ) swap slip ; inline
 
-: 2dip ( obj1 obj2 quot -- obj1 obj2 ) -rot 2slip ; inline
+: 2dip ( x y quot -- x y ) swap >r dip r> ; inline
 
-: 3dip ( obj1 obj2 obj3 quot -- obj1 obj2 obj3 ) -roll 3slip ; inline
+: 3dip ( x y z quot -- x y z ) swap >r 2dip r> ; inline
 
 ! Keepers
-: keep ( x quot -- x ) over slip ; inline
+: keep ( x quot -- x ) dupd dip ; inline
 
-: 2keep ( x y quot -- x y ) 2over 2slip ; inline
+: 2keep ( x y quot -- x y ) >r 2dup r> 2dip ; inline
 
-: 3keep ( x y z quot -- x y z ) >r 3dup r> -roll 3slip ; inline
+: 3keep ( x y z quot -- x y z ) >r 3dup r> 3dip ; inline
 
 ! Cleavers
 : bi ( x p q -- )